Gloucester Tree
A karri tree about 72 m tall, used as a fire lookout, with spiral steel spikes that let you climb it bare-handed to a platform at 53 m for views over the forest.
The Gloucester Tree stands in Gloucester National Park, about 3 km outside the town of Pemberton. This roughly 72-metre karri tree was converted into a forest fire lookout in the 1940s. 153 spiral steel spikes are driven into its trunk, and visitors can climb bare-handed to a lookout platform at about 53 m, with views over the endless karri forest. There is no safety rope, so consider both your fitness and your nerve. Those who don't climb can still stroll beneath the tree and watch the parrots. Entry to Western Australia's national parks requires a vehicle pass (a day pass costs about AUD 17 per vehicle; check the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) for current prices). Climbing is suspended in bad weather.
Opening hours
Open daytime (climbing depends on weather)
Nearby sights
- Karri Forest Explorer
- Pemberton Tramway
- Big Brook Dam
- The Cascades
- Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree
- Warren National Park
- Diamond Tree
- Fonty's Pool