Coordinates: East Warburton, Australia
The art of weaving trees brings a touch of mysterious quirkiness to this towering Australian woodland.
Thousands of California redwoods stand tall in Australian forests far from home, neatly planted in rows. They were lined up like orderly guards, towering into the clouds, some up to 180 feet tall. Sunlight filtered through their leaves, illuminating the forest floor, illuminating those strange entrances and huge nests scattered everywhere.
Walking in the California redwood forest of East Warburton, Australia, is like entering a magical country. You'll encounter bird's nests so large that even dragon eggs dwarf each other, and circles woven with branches that look like entrances to another world. The art of this tree, built up by twigs and branches, adds to the enchanting feel of the forest. It brings a mysterious whimsy to woodland that was originally planted for practical purposes.
The trees were planted in the 1930s as part of a vegetation restoration program. It is hoped that they will be arranged in a grid to help control the weeds that have begun to grow in large quantities on previously cleared land. Later, melbourne and metropolitan engineering committees used this woodland to study forest hydrology.
Although their research is over, the sequoia forest still attracts some of its experiments, although these experiments are more artistic in nature. The work of artist David Diganey can be seen everywhere in the woods. His work is to weave together fallen branches, bringing unexpected charm to the original orderly forest.
Know before you go
Follow the Warburton Highway east out of Warburton until it becomes a forest road. About four miles out of town, you'll find Cement Creek Road on the left side of the road. Go a little further, the road is unsealed and a bit rough in some places, but suitable for cars. You'll soon find a small parking lot on the right hand side and a gate to the forest, trails, and creek at the foot of the mountain.