A man, his gum trees, and his 'second education'
- Eyre Peninsula EPA
- Feb 18
- 1 min read
ABC Radio - Conversations February 9th 2026
Australia is one of the richest places on earth when it comes to botanical biodiversity.
Tens of thousands of species of trees and flowers have developed over millions of years of isolation.
But perhaps the most iconic and ubiquitous of all native flora is the humble eucalyptus.
From Queensland's ancient rainforests and the alpine region New South Wales, to the wilds of Tasmania and the granite outcrops of coastal Western Australia, eucalypts are synonymous with the Australian landscape.
There are 900 different species of eucalyptus, from giant gums close to 100 metres tall, to tiny wee mallee trees the same height as a kindergartener.
Professor Steve Hopper, the world's leading eucalyptus expert, has recorded more than 100 of those species and thinks there are still more waiting to be found.
After decades of learning about the science of these trees, Steve turned to Noongar elders in WA's South West, for his 'second education'.
Further information
Eucalyptus is published by Reaktion, an imprint of NewSouth Books.
Comments