Partnership with Gija people saves giant Boab tree
Team Savannah - a consortium of Laing O’Rourke Australia, BGC Contracting and Maunsell, working with Main Roads WA, has assisted the Gija people (traditional owners of the land around Warmun in the East Kimberley) with the relocation of a giant 750 year old boab tree to Western Australia.
The tree has begun its epic journey, believed to be the longest overland relocation in the world and will arrive in Perth on Saturday 19 July. A welcome ceremony will take place in Kings Park on Sunday.
“This is a huge tree that would have been lost in normal construction planning” said Jim Tuckwell, Project Engineer.
“We have preserved a tree that is important to the Gija people and found a way for them to share it with the five million visitors to Kings Park each year”.
“This project is the outcome of innovative thinking and people coming together to make something unique happen” he said.
The boab tree, 12 metres high and weighing a massive 14 tonne, was in the path of a new bridge being constructed as part of the current upgrade of the Great Northern Highway near Warmun.
Laing O’Rourke, BGC, Maunsell and Main Roads WA are providing the funding for the 3200 kilometre relocation. It will be presented to a traditional owner group of Nyoongar people, and planted in a prominent position in Kings Park & Botanic Garden.
Rachael Layton, Corporate Communications Manager.
Ph. 07 3308 7619