GARDNER NO. 2


Grid Reference -34.496752, 115.922959 (GDA)
Department DEC
Work Centre ?
District Pemberton
Grading ?
Elevation (ASL) ?m
Height ?m
Construction Tree
Cabin size ?
Public access to site ?
In use since 1942 - 19??
Photo supplied by DEC

Please click on thumbnails for enlargements

Photo supplied by John Evans Photos (1961) taken & supplied by Jack Bradshaw
1st photo is looking down through the trap door


The tree in 1990
supplied by DEC
note the spikes 		The tree in 2020 taken
& supplied by Jack Bradshaw


In Nov 2019, MLC reported: Constructed after No. 1 experienced problems. Declared unsafe ca. 1970. Crown was destroyed by Cyclone Alby, 1978.

Below is a recollection from Roger Undewood, whilst he was the FLO at Gardner 2.
I recall when I worked on Gardner Tree, which was pretty much open to the weather as none of the windows had glass in them, the last job every night after signing off the log book, was to take out the alidade and carefully put it away, then put a metal cover over the map. In the morning I would reverse this procedure and then double check the installation by sighting on the Pemberton mill smoke away to the north-east, and the peak of Silver Mount to the west. I knew exactly what the bearings to each should be. The setup in Gardner was different to other towers in that the map table was not in the centre of the cabin, making some sightings a bit awkward. However, this was mostly OK because to the south of the tree was coastal scrublands and the Southern Ocean – all of the main interest was in the forests to the north and east.
The attached pic (taken by Jack) shows the interior of the Gardner Tree cabin in 1960, and you can see the map table, the log book, the alidade, the binocs and the towerman’s stool. On the wall behind the photographer, was the telephone. The wind gauge at Gardner was primitive – a length of binder twine hanging from a nail outside the cabin. When I first started up the tree, the local forester Ernie Percival climbed up with me to show me the ropes and he instructed me on the relationship between the angle of the binder twine and the strength of the wind. There was a certain point of inclination, he chuckled, beyond which might be the last wind strength report I ever made.

Interior of Gardner 2 Cabin. See Roger Underwood''s recollection above.


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