FOR MORE than a century, the Tree of Knowledge, considered the birthplace of the Australian Labor Party, was an important part of the heritage of Barcaldine.

But this year, the 200-year-old ghost gum is no more. The tree had been a silent witness to much of the history of the town. In the early days, it was the main meeting place for townspeople and was known as the Allelulia Tree because the Salvation Army used to meet under its leafy boughs. Also in its shade started the greatest fight for social justice for workers in Australia when meetings were held there as part of the 1891 Great Shearers’ Strike.

During the past 20 years, a number of undertakings had been necessary to keep the tree alive, including emergency surgery and hormone treatment.

But it was an act of vandalism that spelled the death knell for the famous tree, which was poisoned.