The small township of Orroroo is located in the Yorke and Mid North region of South Australia. With a population of less then 1,000 people, the Wilmington-Ucolta Road passes through here, intersecting with the RM Williams Way that leads to the Birdsville Track and Oodnadatta Track. There were once railway lines from Peterborough–Quorn that extended from Peterborough to Orroroo (in 1881/1882), connecting with the new Central Australia Railway from Port Augusta, but these are now abandoned.
A popular photo opportunity is just south of Orroroo where you can find the “Orroroo Giant Gum Tree”.
Picture: Fencing posts which were procured by similar River Red Gums. A Gum this size would yield approximately 1400 posts.
Orroroo Giant Gum Tree
The original signage said:
Estimated at over 500 years old, this River Red Gum is the oldest living tree in the local area.
This River Red Gum is a Eucalyptus Camaldulensis but also has the ominous name of “Widow Maker” as they have a habit of dropping large boughs withou warning.
The Giant Gum Tree is approximately 10.4 metres or 34 feet in circumference and climbs 6 metres or 20 feet before there is a fork in the trunk.
Source: District Council of Orroroo/Carrieton
New signage in 2003 say:
Giant Red Gum, Eucalyptus camaldulensis
Source: District Council of Orroroo/Carrieton
Circumference – 10.89 metres
at 0.61 m above ground
Age – Estimated in excess of 500 years
Source: District Council of Orroroo/Carrieton
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