Adelaide has a new obsession and, surprisingly, its trees. Not just hugging them or picnicking beneath them, though those are still excellent options, but seeking them out, learning their names, and even choosing favourites. Why? Because the City of Adelaide has launched a brilliant little tool called the Urban Forest Map, and it’s turning casual tree admirers into full-blown foliage fans.
The concept is simple and honestly, kind of delightful. Jump onto the map, zoom around the city, and explore over 59,586 individual trees. You can click on one and learn its species, age, height, and even how wide its canopy stretches. It’s like going on a digital treasure hunt – no Xs that mark the spot, just trunks. And each one has its own story, standing tall in the heart of the city waiting to be discovered.
When I told the Glam Adelaide team about it, the reactions were instant. “Really?” “That’s so cool!” “Wait, I’ve got a favourite tree!”
Suddenly we were all swapping stories about the ones we pass on our walks, the ones with the weird branches, the ones we climbed as kids or had family or wedding portraits taken in front of, or the massive trunks, the ones we’d probably defend in a council meeting if we had to.
And yes, I’ve got a favourite one too. She’s a glorious, ancient white gum in Rundle Park (Kadlitpina), right where the Garden of Unearthly Delights pops up every Fringe decorated in twinkling lights and each year I make sure I give her a cuddle. Her long enduring limbs twist like weathered rope, her bark is wrinkled like wisdom, and if she could talk, I have no doubt she’d spill some very juicy secrets from festivals past.
And that’s the magic of it. These trees aren’t just scenery. They’re silent citizens of the city, standing quietly as everything shifts around them.
The Urban Forest Map is a gentle invitation to notice them, learn about them, and maybe even fall a little in love with them.
The idea sprouted from Melbourne, where their tree map has already made an impression. Their version even lets you email a tree. That’s right. Some people send heartfelt messages. Others send poetry. Adelaide’s version doesn’t have that just yet, but fingers crossed.
I’d love to send my Rundle Park tree a thank-you for every moment of laughter, magic, and cabaret she’s listen to as a part of Fringe since the year 2000.
The Adelaide Park Lands Association, who’ve been rooting for this since 2021, are thrilled. Their President, Shane Sody, summed it up perfectly: “These are your parklands. They belong to everyone.”
“This map, he says, helps people connect with the trees and understand what makes them special.”
“It might even inspire a few more parkland protectors along the way,” he said.
So if you’re curious, or you’ve ever looked up at a particularly majestic gum and thought, “You’re a beauty,” then you’re exactly who this map is for. Go on start exploring, find your favourite, and tell your friends. Because if we’re all picking trees to fall for, Adelaide is going to be a whole lot greener and a whole lot more loved.
You can find the Urban Forest Map on the City of Adelaide website here.
More News
