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NORFOLK ISLAND CHRISTMAS TREE
We believe we have the Tallest Lit Christmas Tree in the Southern Hemishpere
In the grounds of the Rectory of St John's Anglican Parish of Raymond Terrace, stand two huge Norfolk Island Pines. The Rectory itself was completed in 1842 and the trees planted in 1862. In these pages you can read about the history of these trees, of the town of Raymond Terrace, and the Parish of Raymond Terrace which dates from 1839.
The Norfolk pine and its companion were recently measured Derek McIntosh, Co-ordinator of the National Register of Big Trees,! It and the companion tree beside it, are still growing.
In this national register, our Norfolk Island Pines are the largest of their species. Go to the Big Trees Website to read more about how the calculations and see the recording of these trees as the largest of their kind in Australia:
Every year since 1961 the tree has been lit by coloured lights. First the local energy supplier undertook this, now it is done by Port Stephens' Council. The lit tree can be seen from many direction and people come from far and wide to look at it during the Christmas New Year Period.
When the tree lights came on in December 2008, Radio National (ABC) did an show on Raymond Terrace, and as part of that show the claim wa made that this was the highest live lit Christmas Tree in the Southern Hemisphere. No one came to challenge that claim. We are going ahead, to try and get Guinness Book of Records recognition for the tallest lit living Christmas Tree!
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