Boab Prison Tree
A giant hollow boab tree just south of town. Legend says Aboriginal prisoners were temporarily held inside it in the 19th century, and nearby is the longest cattle trough in the Southern Hemisphere.
This boab tree (Australian baobab) has a girth of about 14 metres and is estimated to be over 1,500 years old, with a hollow trunk. Legend has it that in the late 19th century, police escorting Aboriginal prisoners to Derby locked them inside the hollow overnight. It is a sobering reminder of colonial history and also an Aboriginal cultural site. It is now fenced off, so please do not climb it or enter the hollow. Nearby Myall’s Bore has a cattle trough about 120 metres long, said to be the longest in the Southern Hemisphere. The tree is about 7 km from the town centre and free to visit. Go by car or bike, and come at sunset for the best view.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Mowanjum Aboriginal Art & Culture Centre
- The Dinner Tree
- Norval Gallery
- Old Derby Gaol
- Derby Wharf
- Buccaneer Archipelago
- Dimalurru (Tunnel Creek) National Park