100,000 years ago, Hoop Pine was a dominant Inland Tree of Australia. Bunya Pine has been part of the fossil record for 100 million years. In more recent times Belah was one of the dominant trees of The Inland Brigalow Belt that covered 30% of Inland Queensland. These trees give you choices for inland plantations of any scale be that for closed canopy house paddocks or open forest woodlands. FOLLOW Links Below for More Insight into Planting and Establishing all Types of New Forests for Inland Australia with Methods from Research.
Leaves of these 3 trees have an enhanced ability to condense atmospheric moisture due to extra leaf surface area and unique leaf structure. After big fog events you will see trees dripping water often until 9 or 10am.
The trees here are planted on black alluvial cracking soil. Original thinking was to plant Belah next to Hoop and Bunya to bind the topsoil with Belah Roots to save the Bunya and Hoop from potentially deadly cracking soil.
Belah can grow to 20 metres. There are locations west of here where you will find dense swaths of 50 year old Belah that have formed a closed canopy. 40 kilometres to the east you will find The Bunya Mountain Rainforest at 1100 metres above sea level with 900mm of orographic rainfall.
Bunya and Hoop Pine thrive as stand alone trees all over the Darling Downs in 600 mm rainfall zones. With a little dedication to deep tree hole prep they will prosper in all parts of Australia with sufficient rainfall. You will find them in Tasmania and The NT. They are easiest to establish in loam soil types.
Belah is also commonly found in 500 mm rainfall zones of Western Qld and North NSW.
Weaners in the shade of Belah loaded with seed cones. Mature trees drop seed cones that form a dense mat of course woody mulch up to 200 mm deep. This mulch under the tree then acts as a saucer to absorb big rain events and over flow from higher ground. The saucer effect increases with trees as they age. NOTE: This tree has been pruned of its lateral branches + saltbush in background + abundant grasses.
Bunya Pine Seedling inside a Stock Proof Tree Guard planted next to a Belah. This seedling is a replant. All other trees in this paddock were planted April 2017. Date of Photo: April 2023
Hoop Pine Seedling inside Stock Proof Tree Guard replanted 2023.
Belah Tree next to Hoop Pine. Top of Belah was cut off about 12 months ago. As Belah Trees establish you can pollard or coppice. Date of Photo 2023.
Replanted Hoop Pine in Tree Guard next to Belah. Belah was planted 2017. Hoop Seedling seems to require less water now due to improved soil and increased organic soil matter from Belah and Grasses. Date of Photo: 2023
Bunya Pine and Belah both planted 2017. Date of Photo: 2023
Bunya Pine is now over 2 metres tall. Lateral branches have been slow pruned over last 12 months. Date of Photo 2023.
Bunya Pine Replant with Belah. Belah that has just been cut back with a hand saw. This reinvigorates the Belah making it grow bushier. Over time the Belah might be totally removed. OR you can plant the Belah about 1.5 metres or more away from Hoop and Bunya for longer term growth.
Bunya Pine with Tree Guard Off which is recommended periodically to harden tree. Eventually tree guard is permanently removed and reused else where. PHOTO from Circa 2019
