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Botanists Abseil Down 300m Cliff to Rescue Endangered Eucalyptus Tree
1 Nov
Summary
- Horticulturists abseiled down a 300m cliff to collect seeds from endangered Jillaga Ash trees
- The trees were spotted 90m down the cliff in Wadbilliga National Park, New South Wales
- The seeds will be used to grow seedlings and create backup populations to save the species
On November 1st, 2025, two horticulturists undertook a perilous mission to save an endangered tree species in Wadbilliga National Park, New South Wales. Threatened flora ecologist Stan Wawrzyczek had spotted an Eucalyptus stenostoma, commonly known as the Jillaga Ash, growing 90 meters down a 300-meter cliff face.
Coincidentally, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria horticulturist Amy Downie was an experienced abseiler, having cared for the RBGV's Grey Garden with hard-to-reach plants. Downie, along with her colleague Ollie Sherlock, a rock climber and acting team leader for natural systems, descended the uncharted cliff to collect gumnuts from four Jillaga Ash trees.
The collected seeds will be used to grow seedlings and establish backup populations, preventing the Jillaga Ash from going extinct. Cuttings will also be stored and dried as an additional safeguard. The Jillaga Ash is found only in Wadbilliga and the nearby Deua National Park, and its population was severely impacted by the devastating 2019-2020 bushfires.
"The five-day trip involved camping, four-wheel driving, hiking through dense vegetation, climbing and abseiling, surveying, collecting and botanising," Downie said. The team had to work without mobile phone service and tackle challenging 4WD tracks to reach the remote location. They are now considering using drones to spot endangered plants and assess risks before future rescue missions.
