From another list....
Fury over burnt explorer's landmark
Date: December 24 2002
The destruction of one of Australia's most historic bush landmarks has
generated a growing fury.
Queensland
Police Minister Tony McGrady reacted angrily today to the
destruction of the historic "Landsborough Tree" near
Burketown, in the
state's northwest.
Vandals set alight the tree earlier this month, wiping out 140 years of
history.
Police are investigating the razing of the eucalypt tree inscribed by
explorer William Landsborough during his unsuccessful search for Burke and Wills in 1862.
Landsborough carved the word "Dig" on the tree as a message to the lost
explorers and buried supplies near it.
The Queensland
heritage-listed tree, on the edge of salt flats about 5km out of
Burketown, was found vandalised by the local
ranger last week.
Its trunk had been burnt, causing the tree to fall over.
"This is a despicable act of vandalism which was un-Australian," Mr McGrady said.
"This is one of the most significant historical trees in the northwest and,
indeed, in Australia.
"It's part of our history and louts, the lowest of the low, have seen fit to
destroy it, which is very disappointing for everybody.
"I hope the full extent of the law will come down upon them."
The tree is in Mr McGrady's electorate of Mt Isa.
Burketown Police Inspector Bruce Batterham said a lightning strike had been discounted as a possible explanation for the tree's destruction.
He said samples had been taken to determine the type of accelerant used to set the tree alight.
Burke Shire mayor Annie Clarke said she was "jolly angry" by the destruction of the tourist attraction.
"People felt very strongly about being able to go in the path of the
explorers and suddenly it's not there any more," she said.