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Nature nerds of Victoria, this one’s for you. In a world plagued by bad news, a story about our beautiful state’s favourite tree is exactly what we wanted to read this week – so we’re sharing the news to bring a little brightness to your day, too. One of the state’s most remarkable trees has officially taken out the title of Victorian Tree of the Year 2026, and you can find it growing in one of Geelong’s prettiest green spaces.
Meet the Geelong Ginkgo, a 167-year-old Ginkgo biloba growing in the Geelong Botanic Gardens. Planted from seed in 1859, the enormous tree has been crowned this year’s winner by the National Trust Victoria, beating eight other finalists to claim the title. The leafy local legend received 27 per cent of the 4,435 votes cast in this year’s competition, and it’s not hard to see why. The largest ginkgo of its kind in Victoria, and potentially the biggest in Australia, it’s particularly striking for its unusual, stalactite-like growths hanging from its trunk and branches (formations that are typically only found on much older ginkgo trees).
According to National Trust Victoria, the tree has survived for more than 160 years thanks to generations of care from Geelong Botanic Gardens staff and volunteers. It’s also become a much-loved local landmark, providing a backdrop for countless wedding photos and special celebrations over the years.
And this ancient beauty has quite the backstory. Ginkgos, also known as maidenhair trees, belong to an ancient group of plants that thrived during the Middle Jurassic period, between 174 and 161 million years ago. Beyond their distinctive fan-shaped leaves, ginkgos are known for their extraordinary resilience. Six trees growing between one and two kilometres from the 1945 atomic blast in Hiroshima survived and are now revered as symbols of hope, longevity and peace. Another solid reason to give this tree the crown in 2026.
The Geelong Ginkgo wasn't the only Victorian tree to earn some recognition this year. A smooth bark apple myrtle in Prahran came in second, while a myrtle beech in Apollo Bay took third place.
But the National Trust Victoria says celebrating our most beloved trees needs to go hand in hand with protecting them. The organisation is calling for stronger legal safeguards for significant trees, including automatic statutory protection for registered trees and a planning principle that prioritises retaining established trees over removing them.
You’ll find more about Victoria’s Tree of the Year for 2026 over here.
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