Xanthorrhoeas are my favourite tree, however if is not grass, nor is it a tree. It’s a unique Australian plant. Like no other. The xanthorrhoeas at Tidbinbilla have been a source inspiration in my own arts practice. This is also my go to place when I want to connect with nature or I need to find peace in my life. Xanthorrhoeas are very slow growing & can live up to 600 years. They can survive both drought & bushfires and you see this at Tidbinbilla as the stand of grass trees were burnt in 2003. I find the texture of the trunk interesting it’s like rough thick cork. It is a hollow ring of accumulated leaf bases which have the most beautiful pattern. They have whorls of long leaves that look like a skirt on the tree and the flower spike has its own beauty as a new spike or dead one. NB. Only the rubbings were done at Tidbinbilla. The collections of leaves, trunk leaf bases & bark come from my private collection from a xanthorrhoea I had in my garden which sadly died.

Lat: -35.45337 Long: 148.93493 Gibralter Fire Trail, Tidbinbilla