Author: Dave Witty
Publisher: Monash University Publishing 2023
Reviewed by: Helen Wilson of the NPA’s environmental book group
This is a recent book by an emerging writer about a wide range of Australian trees, both species and individual specimens, that have historical significance. Witty is an English migrant who fixates on the trees he comes across, particularly very old ones, to investigate Australia; finding a wealth of fascinating and often little-known stories. Along the way he demonstrates wide reading and knowledge of Australian history, literature and art.
Topics include McKay’s landmark Leichhardt tree (Queensland species Nauclea orientalis) which served as an anchor post during the second half of the nineteenth century. Thus, it witnessed the rise of the sugar industry and the virtual slave trade of blackbirding. One example many of us felt we should know about was the Bennelong Twins, two closely entwined forest red gums now inconspicuous behind the Sydney Opera House. These are thought to be 300 years old and recognisable in early settler paintings. Among many other little recognised treasures are the dendroglyphs or carved ‘old grey’ cypress pines of the Pilliga.
As well as covering the more familiar stories of the forest wars over old growth forests and the recovery of the Wollemi pine, there are also revelatory chapters on low profile species such as mangroves and casuarina. One concludes that Australia’s trees are amazingly varied and so are the stories they evoke. We should be more aware of them.
The book invites comparison with Don Watson’s The Bush (2014), one of his many authoritative sources. It is also a wide-ranging study of various Australian vegetation communities and the stories and images associated with them. There’s a lot of common subject matter, but while Witty is an outsider, Watson positions himself as child of the bush. He tells many stories of land clearing and other destructive practices in the process of white settlement. Subtitled ‘Travels in the heart of Australia’, the book finds that ‘the bush’ of legend and myth was and is many things, real and imagined. Watson concludes that we need to love the bush ‘as it is and can be, not the way it was and never will be again.’ While he never succumbs to nostalgia, the pervading sense of loss and pragmatism about the future contrasts with Witty’s sense of discovery.
Members of the group had very different reactions to What the trees see. Everyone enjoyed reading the descriptions and stories they may not have known. Some of us enjoyed the presence of the author on his emotional journey of migration and relationships. For example, he compares his association of the Cootamundra Wattle with a breakup to Napoleon’s discovery of a Sydney Golden Wattle on St Helena, his barren island of exile. It was one of the exotic plants his beloved Josephine had grown at Chateau Malmaison near Paris. Others found the personal element unnecessary and intrusive. Some loved the rich referencing of many types of text and images, seeing it as a clever strategy to enhance the value of the trees. Others objected, finding it pretentious.
The book is a set of investigations and stories rather than an argument. It contains evocative but not always directly relevant drawings whereas the reader might have benefited from a more traditional section of plates of the specific trees and artworks described. And for such a book the lack of an index is simply shocking.
Upcoming Books:
The Secret Life of Whales Micheline Jenner
Forest Wars – the ugly truth about what’s happening to our tall forests David Lindenmayer
Future meeting dates:
9 September
21 October
2 December
For more information about joining, email sydney@npansw.org.au