bottletree

By August 1902, heavy sheep and cattle losses were reported from Queensland. Rivers in western Queensland dried up, and the Darling River at Bourke virtually ran dry. Further south, towns near the Murray River such as Mildura, Balranald and Deniliquin—then dependent on the river for transport—suffered badly. The national wheat crop was all but lost, with close to the lowest yields of the century. Source: www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/knowledge-centre/previous-...

Aboriginal people made use of the trees by eating the roots of young plants and by consuming secretions from the trunk that were induced by wounds.[36] Fibre obtained from the species was used to make nets.[37] The leaves have also been used for fodder,[36] and Queensland farmers often leave bottle trees as a potential food source when land is cleared.[3] During drought conditions, whole trees have been felled to feed stock. The soft edible pulp inside the trunk is exposed by removing the bark.[36] The pulp is energy-rich but protein-poor, and occasional cases of nitrate poisoning have led to cattle deaths. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brachychiton_rupestris#:~:text=The%....

Beloved bottle trees are risky BOTTLE trees can be found far and wide across the Western Downs, but experts are reminding people to ensure the Queensland icons are in good health. Two bottle trees have had to be removed from Dalby properties in recent weeks after they fell over due to rotting. Toowoomba-based arborist Russell Clark said while the trees are Queensland natives they are not endemic to Dalby and often rot because their trunks are soft and fleshy or their roots don't take to the soil. You'll see them in Chinchilla and other places around the Western Downs but the soil type is different here - they're not native to the area, you won't see them growing in a paddock,” he said. "Normally trees that fall over have some sort of problem with the roots. "If the wind is strong and there is plenty of rain, that's when there is most likely movement in a tree. "They are an amazing tree and an Australian icon and I hate people cutting them down. "If you have a bottle tree in the wrong spot, try and find someone like me to remove it to take it to a tree orphanage.” "They live to a fair age so sometimes they can be rotten on the inside but still standing up,” he said. Interesting story about bottle trees from Courrier Mail. www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/dalby/beloved-bott...