Gloucester Tree

In 1947 foresters chose this karri, one of the tallest in the area, as a fire lookout, and a climber drove one hundred and fifty-three steel pegs into the trunk in a spiral to reach a cabin built at fifty-eight metres. The lookout was used until aerial spotting replaced it, and the tree was then left open for the public to climb, which people have done ever since: no harness, no cage beyond a light wire mesh, just the pegs and the drop. It is one of three climbing trees in the Pemberton district along with the Diamond Tree and the taller Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree. Access is periodically closed for safety inspections and after storms.

What you actually see

• The peg climb - a spiral of steel pegs up fifty-eight metres of trunk.
• The lookout platform - the cabin in the crown with views over karri forest.
• The karri forest - tall smooth-trunked trees around the base.
• The other climbing trees - the Diamond and Bicentennial trees nearby.

When to go

October to April for dry conditions; wet pegs are slippery and the tree closes in rain, high wind and after storms. Summer is warm but the forest is shaded. Closures for inspection happen without much notice.

Honest expectations

The climb is genuinely exposed with no harness, and many people stop partway; going down is harder than going up. It is not suitable for children unaccompanied, anyone unfit or anyone uneasy with heights. The tree closes regularly, so checking before travelling is worthwhile.

Nearby

Pemberton is minutes away; the Bicentennial Tree and Warren National Park are close.