Whose climbed the three big trees in WA?
Submitted: Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 14:40
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Member - Boo Boo (NSW)
I climbed the the Diamond Tree (52mtrs) a couple of weeks ago and got the 'bug'.
Went down Pemberton last weekend and climbed the Bicentennial Tree (75mtrs) and the
Gloucester Tree (61mtrs)
The wive and kids thought I was crazy, but it was great fun.
My legs came good about an hour ago. LOL
Its something that most states would not allow you to do as there is not much safety involved.
If you have not done it yet, go for it before the WA govt decide to close them to the public.
Regards BooBoo
Reply By: Member - MUZBRY(Vic) - Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 14:53
Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 14:53
Gday BooBoo
I climbed the
Gloucester tree in 1965 when it was only a sapling. No where near as high as it is these days.
Murray
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Reply By: Motherhen - Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 15:06
Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 15:06
Good onya BooBoo
I climbed the
Gloucester tree many times in my youth. It was the only one open to the public then, and was wide open - just metal stakes as steps - so wide apart my short little me. Last time we looked it had wire all around it.
One time, one of the
young men in the group had put my sandals in his shorts pockets as i always climbed with bare feet. A sandal fell out and lodged on the end of a branch very high up the tree. To everyone's horror, he climbed right out and retrieved it - even though i said it was not worth it.
Motherhen
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Follow Up By: austastar - Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 15:23
Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 15:23
I climbed half way to the chicken shelf on the bicentennial tree and then backed down.
Wifey decided she wanted to go on, so after warning her that if she froze, she would have to wait till I could get help from somewhere else, up she went.
And up, past the shelf, and disappeared into the canopy.
I had to go round to the other side of one of the sheds, I had sweaty palms and was palpitating in fear just watching her.
Once up top she found she had mobile coverage, so rang her mother!
What is it with people who have no fear of heights?
cheers
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 16:40
Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 16:40
Hi auststar
Yep, I like to have both feet on terra firma these days, although as a nipper I'd climb any tree.
Mh
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Reply By: ross - Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 15:17
Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 15:17
I climbed the
Gloucester and the Diamond trees in 1970 on a school
camp.
I received a certificate after climbing the
Gloucester Tree stating I had done it with "courage and dignity" .
I doubt they would give me one with my claws stuck in the tree trunk halfway up LOL
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Duncs - Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 16:26
Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 16:26
I climbed the
Gloucester Tree in 96 when we were over that way on a trip. I am not normally great on heights, despite my occupation, but got up OK. Coming down was harder.
The kids were very
young so I went first while Mum stayed to look after them. When it was her turn the kids put on quite a show and would not allow her to climb it.
Don't they care about Dad??
Duncs
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 16:43
Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 16:43
Hi Duncs
Nah - they know Dad is tough and can do anything!
The only scary part for me was getting down from the platform and finding the first foot rail.
Mh
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Follow Up By: Member - Duncs - Thursday, Apr 02, 2009 at 12:26
Thursday, Apr 02, 2009 at 12:26
When I bent over and opened that flap in the floor all I could see was the very distant ground.
It did take a while to find that first step.
Duncs
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Ted G - Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 18:20
Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 18:20
My wife and I climbed the
Gloucester Tree back about 20 years ago.
Last year we climbed all 3.
I was 65 and my wife 64, we got some funney looks from the backpackers that weren't game to climb any of them.
A bit sore afterwards as we climbed 2 in one day and the third the next day.
Won't be back in another 20 years to try again.
Regards
Ted
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Follow Up By: Member - Boo Boo (NSW) - Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 18:36
Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 18:36
Ted
Well done.
I have been 48 for about ten years so I'm not far behind you.
I was about one third of the way up and had to move over to let the not so stupid teenages back out. LOL
BooBoo
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Reply By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 18:56
Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 18:56
I climbed the
Gloucester tree in Pemberton in 1979... My girlfriend at the time wouldnt though.. Is the ladder the same, one metal peg and one wodden and one metal etc? Michael
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Follow Up By: Member - Boo Boo (NSW) - Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 20:59
Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 20:59
Michael
All the 'steps' are now steel spikes, like reo rod about 20 25 mm thick.
Regards BooBoo
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Reply By: Member - joc45 (WA) - Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 20:52
Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 20:52
I've climbed both the BiCentennial Tree and the
Gloucester Tree, but not the Diamond Tree. But I have climbed the 390 metre TV mast at Mt Lennard, near Collie.
Gerry
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Follow Up By: Member - Boo Boo (NSW) - Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 21:01
Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 21:01
Jerry
Ya bl@#dy showoff!!!!! LOL
You should have told me a couple of weeks ago when we went through Collie.
Regards BooBoo
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Follow Up By: Member - joc45 (WA) - Thursday, Apr 02, 2009 at 00:29
Thursday, Apr 02, 2009 at 00:29
Hi BooBoo,
It was back in the mid-60's when I was younger and much fitter!
Tho did do the Bicentennial tree a couple of years ago (gasp!)
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Reply By: Willem - Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 23:27
Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009 at 23:27
I watched someone else climb the
Gloucester Tree
Cheers
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Follow Up By: Member - Tony S (WA) - Thursday, Apr 02, 2009 at 02:28
Thursday, Apr 02, 2009 at 02:28
Hi Willem
You have the right idea.
Was down there 3 weeks or so ago - they are nuts. There again IF I was 30 or so years younger!
What is the saying? Tarzan swings,Tarzan falls,Tarzan!!!!!!!!!!!!!help.
Tony
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Reply By: Member - Warren R-Silver Sands - Thursday, Apr 02, 2009 at 00:34
Thursday, Apr 02, 2009 at 00:34
I worked for the US navy in
Exmouth in the 70s and part of the job was climbing the communication towers which are about 400 metres. Climbing the Pembe trees though gives me sweaty palms big time. It's a great thing to do just the same.
Sadly I reckon you're right about it being a matter of time before they close them down, it is pretty dodgy
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Reply By: ExplorOz - David & Michelle - Thursday, Apr 02, 2009 at 03:14
Thursday, Apr 02, 2009 at 03:14
Good effort! David climbed them - I watched and felt dizzy. I did actually try but the
Gloucester tree freaked me out at the first turn so I backed out and at the Bicentennial Tree I made it to the first platform and then felt like calling the firetruck to get me down. It took a long time but I made it all 25m back to the ground. I thought I made a gallant effort since I can't manage it to the top rung of a ladder!!!
MM
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Follow Up By: Member - Boo Boo (NSW) - Thursday, Apr 02, 2009 at 11:28
Thursday, Apr 02, 2009 at 11:28
Ahhhhh, we are all
young at heart, and love to try to do things out of our comfort zone now and then.
Congratulations to those that climbed and those that tried, and Willem to those that watched. LOL
Regards BooBoo
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