Bunya Pine

Michael Perry Reserve in Stonyfell was created in the 1970s after the subdivision of Clifton estate. This Bunya Pine tree (Araucaria bidwillii) is believed to have been planted between 1872 and 1901 by Nathaniel Knox, the second owner of Clifton.

This Bunya Pine is one of the largest specimens in Adelaide. Interestingly, the Bunya Pine is not a pine but is a member of the ancient Gondwanan plant family Araucariaceae, which is found naturally in South America, South Africa and Australasia. In its natural habitat in the Bunya Mountains, Queensland, it was an important resource for the traditional owners the Wakka Wakka, Jarowair and Barrumgum people and was the focus of harvest festivals.

Here at the City of Burnside, the conservation volunteers are treated to an annual feast of Bunya nut muffins (photo below) or cake baked by our Conservation Officer Dr Mark Ellis.