World's tallest hardwood tree found in Australia

World's tallest hardwood tree found in Australia

The world's tallest hardwood tree has been discovered less than five kilometres from Forestry Tasmania's Tahune Airwalk tourism attraction. It is the only known standing hardwood tree in the world to be over 100 metres tall. The trees are located in State forest, about 4 km northeast of the Tahune Airwalk, south of Hobart.

Forestry Tasmania staff found the Eucalyptus regnans using an airborne laser scanner (LiDAR), which had been flown over the area in August. This technology is world leading and FT has been developing it to measure tree volume, develop digital terrain maps and to monitor carbon storage. The LiDAR imagery appeared to show two very tall trees standing side by side. Laser signals reflected off the canopy of the higher of the two trees showed it was at least 99 metres above the ground.

The trees were located and inspected from the ground on Monday. The two trees, included what is believed to be the world's tallest hardwood, which stands at 101 metres tall.

Details of the two trees are as follow:

The Centurion - (A Roman officer in charge of 100 soldiers)
Height 100-101 metres, (measured with a laser using the sine method). Because the sight to the very top of the tree was partially obscured by the tree's healthy crown, it may be taller.
Diameter: 405 cm
Species: E. regnans (Swamp Gum)

Triarius - (Latin for veteran soldier)
Height 86.5 metres, (measured with a laser using the sine method). Clear sight to the very top of the tree.
Diameter: 390 cm
Species: E. regnans (Swamp Gum)

Interestingly, it looks as if the tree was once even higher. It appears to have broken off at the top, then re-sprouted a new healthy crown.