That’s the official word from the National Register of Big Trees. Derek McIntosh, Coordinator of the Register, said the Raleigh tree was the biggest so far.

“But I have had many reports of camphor laurels and seen many myself, but this is so, so much bigger than anything reported. I cannot image they can get any bigger.”

For the record, the Camphor Laurel (Cinnamomum camphora) at Raleigh school is 26 metres (85 feet) high; with a circumference of 12.43m (489 inches); and a crown of 35m (114 feet). The Raleigh tree scored a total of 603 points, based on the formula used by American Forests (Trunk circumference [inches] + height [feet] + one-quarter of the average crown spread [feet].

The next biggest Camphor Laurels on the Register were at Pitt Town in Sydney (368 points); Bomaderry (350) and Toowoomba (340).

A Grass Tree at the Platypus Flat picnic area on the plateau is also listed as the biggest in Australia on the Register of Big Trees.

The Grass Tree is listed as 1.15 metres (45 inches) in circumference; 5.5m (18 feet) in height; with a crown of 4.5m (14 feet) for a total of 67 points.