The famous old plane tree near the bridge has turned out to be the biggest of its kind in Australia – a National Champion.

He was in the Bega Valley this week very excited about a number of trees which had been nominated for his National Register of Big Trees.

Although he has no background in arboriculture or botany or anything connected with trees, Mr McIntosh became interested in American Forests Register of Big Trees when he was in the United States and, on retirement, he set up a similar register in Australia.

Mr McIntosh said the register is an integrated list of Australian trees, both indigenous and exotic, that have been awarded points on the basis of a formula that includes girth, height and crown spread.

The list is constantly changing as people take a good look at the trees in their parks, their backyards and their local wilderness area.

An 80-year-old plane tree on the corner of William and Eden Streets, Candelo, nominated by Eric Anderson, was what attracted Mr McIntosh to the area.

It is now on the national register after gainging a point score of 357 based on its 6.20 metres circumference, height of 26 metres and its crown of 34 metres.

Mr McIntosh also looked at an oak (quercus ilex) in Bega Park nominated by Ian Goward.

It scored 189 points.

Points are allocated to the trees on the formula used by American Forests which is trunk circumference plus height plus one-quarter average crown spread.

These measurements may look complicated but Mr McIntosh’s National Register website explains how to go about the process with clear diagrams that can be clearly understood.

He said that teachers are using his methods of measuring the trees in the school grounds with the students enthusiastically embracing a very different kind of mathematics lesson.

The register is working closely with all Federal and State Forestry and Environmental Departments and related entities, such as national parks, that have interests that parallel the objectives of the register.