Researchers have discovered what they believe to be Australia’s tallest rainforest tree, growing in a remote area of Far North NSW.<\/p>\n
The hoop pine, with an estimated height of 77 metres, was found in the Border Ranges National Park, close to the Queensland border.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The record stands at 71 metres.<\/p>\n
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Dr Patrick Norman of Griffith University.\u00a0 (Supplied: Dr Patrick Norman)<\/p>\n
It was discovered during a study that maps tree-canopy crowns and heights, and influences on growth.<\/p>\n
Project lead Patrick Norman, from Griffith University, said the study was the first time Airborne Laser Scanning of the forest canopy height had been done at this scale.<\/p>\n
“[The team was] very excited to see there was just one tree that really glowed in the Border Ranges National Park,”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
he said.<\/p>\n
The project looked at millions of trees across 3.1 million hectares of the Northern Rivers region, with the aim of developing climate change adaptation plans for the Northern Rivers and Wet Tropics of Queensland.<\/p>\n
To verify the record, researchers would have to trek to the tree, which Dr Norman was keen to do.<\/p>\n
“I’d love to do a ground truth where we can do some tree height measures from the ground and a little bit of drone work to build a 3D model from it,” he said.<\/p>\n
“If the 77-metre is exactly accurate, we will try to get a climber to do the verification. They have to drop a tape from the top to give it the final tick.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n