The Bentinck Street Elm Trees is a heritage-listed row of street trees at Bentinck Street, Bathurst,

Bathurst Region Bathurst Regional Council is a local government area in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. The area is located adjacent to the Great Western Highway, Mid-Western Highway, Mitchell Highway and the Main Western railway line ...

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, Australia. The property is owned by Bathurst Regional Council (Local Government). It was added to the

New South Wales State Heritage Register The New South Wales State Heritage Register, also known as NSW State Heritage Register, is a heritage list of places in the state of New South Wales, Australia, that are protected by New South Wales legislation, generally covered by the Heritag ...

on 2 April 1999.

History

The Bentinck Street elms were planted around 1904 and later pollarded. English elms were favoured/ planted between and - corresponding with the date of Bentinck Street's elms. Elms are a defining tree of the ('

Federation A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governin ...

') era in Bathurst and a number of inland Australian and NSW country towns of this period (e.g.:

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Orange Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower *Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum * ...

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). They were a favoured species of street tree in the second Municipal Street Tree Period in NSW (-1920). Key Bathurst parks such as Machattie Park, and "competing" parks such as Robertson and Cook Parks, Orange all feature magnificent, mature English elms. It is significant that downtown Bathurst is characterised by mature elms - as is its chief historical rival, downtown

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. These are the two major early inland cities of NSW.Stuart Read, pers.comm., interpreting Dept. of Planning, 1990, Appendix 3 - chronology of street tree eras and extent of species used in NSW In 1984 the Bathurst Action Committee to Secure Unified Planning (BACSUP) contacted the Heritage Council in regard to a proposed 7 lane roadway traffice enhancement scheme that would lead to the removal of 20 elm trees along Bentick Street. After discussions and meetings with Bathurst Council and consideration of the trees streetscape and historic significance a section 136 Order was signed and placed on 16 trees on 22 August 1994. At the 6 September 1984 Heritage Council meeting, Bathurst Council presented a detailed submission and discussed alternative solutions to the proposed 7 lane roadway. The Heritage Council resolved to engage an independent consultant acceptable to both the Heritage Council and Bathurst City Council to provide advice on alternative road reconstruction proposals, with consideration of the heritage value of the street trees. The Heritage Council also resolved to recommend to the Minister the making of an Interim Conservation Order be placed over the trees. The Order was gazetted on 14 September 1984. In late 1984 three separate section 60 applications were subsequently received. One application was to remove all 16 trees, the second to undercut the trees to a clearance of 5.3 metres and the third to trim the trees. After consideration the Heritage Council resolved to approve the removal of trees on the western side of Bentinck street, approve undercutting to a maximum height of 4.8 metres above the road and approve the application to trim the trees. At its meeting of 6 December 1984 the Heritage Council resolved that it considered it necessary to ensure the trees' future to recommend to the Minister that a Permanent Conservation Order be placed on the 16 elm trees. An exemption under section 57(2) of the Heritage Actwas approved in for periodic regravelling, emergency and routine work to water mains and electrical installations and routine pruning. A Permanent Conservation Order was placed on 16 August 1985. The trees were transferred to the State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 (Heritage Office files).

Description

The Bentinck Street English elms (''

Ulmus procera The field elm (''Ulmus minor'') cultivar 'Atinia' , commonly known as the English elm, formerly common elm and horse may, Republished 1978 by EP Publishing, Wakefield. and more lately the Atinian elm was, before the spread of Dutch elm disea ...

)'' form a healthy, evenly spaced avenue of trees of uniform growth to a height of approximately 9-12 metres. The trees are an English elm (Ulmus procera) and are often used as an ornamental tree for parks and large gardens and it is deciduous. There are 13 on the eastern side and 3 on the western side of Bentinck Street between Howick and Durham Streets (Heritage Office files). There is a row of thirteen mature elm trees on the eastern side of Bentinck Street (Carrington Park) & three recently planted trees on the western side of Bentinck Street.Heritage Study, 1991

Heritage listing

The mature Bentinck Street English elms were planted about 1900. They make a significant contribution to the historic townscape of Bathurst. Bentinck Street Elm Trees was listed on the

on 2 April 1999.

References

Bibliography

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Attribution

External links

{{Commons category-inline, Bentinck Street Elm Trees New South Wales State Heritage Register Bathurst, New South Wales Individual trees in New South Wales Articles incorporating text from the New South Wales State Heritage Register Individual elm trees