Martin's Tree

It was along Havlin Street East, while casually strolling into downtown Bendigo, that I encountered Martin. There he was gainfully occupied cutting back the Begonias that proudly decorated the street frontage of his humble but well cared for cottage. We talked. His lined face and knarled hands belied a good age which in due course was disclosed to be 87 years. We talked more. We talked about the usual topics dear at heart to older folk, such as sons and daughters, and grandchildren. Martin mentioned his wife had passed-on some years ago and he now lives alone, which no doubt explained his readiness and delight in our chance meeting.

I learned Martin came to Bendigo from the Malee in 1962. He told me their small family farm went the way many Malee properties have gone over the years...sold and amalgamated to form large corporate land holdings. It was at about this stage of our chat Martin pointed to an oak tree resplendently growing on the road side opposite his cottage. He proudly related how his family planted an acorn there in 1975. An acorn he and his children had gathered from Rosalind Park. Watered and lovingly tendered over the years this solitary acorn is today a wonderful and visibly healthy tree which is where the story of Martin's tree begins. The local City Council in its wisdom decreed Martin's oak tree needed to go. Why? Buracuacy was mobilised to dispatch Martin's tree because it was not a native Australian species....! 

Predictably, Martin forceably opposed the Council's plan for his tree so this is a tree story with a happy ending. The tree is still steadfastly in place with Martin standing guard....

Martin's tree

 

Martin standing beside his oak tree

 

Martin's simple sign says it all