Red Gum Circle

River red gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) are a keystone species in Australian floodplain ecosystems, forming extensive forests and woodlands along rivers, creeks and riparian zones. They are highly dependent on regular flooding for survival and reproduction.

The Red Gum Circle is a landscaped area developed to channel water to the centre of the garden to provide habitat for a River Red Gum Floodplain ecosystem. The River Red Gum in the centre gets seasonally flooded in wet winters, with drainage channels redirecting excess water. 

The BBG is situated on a Red Gum floodplain. Vegetation clearing until the late 1900’sremoved much of the remnant vegetation along the North Para River. 

Developed in 2013, the Red Gum Circle is a 25m circle which represents a snapshot of plants that would have been found along the North Para River, pre-European settlement. It utilises moisture and run-off from the entrance driveway. 

This garden is used to teach plant identification skills. In 2023, students from Faith Lutheran College, Tanunda developed a species list and compared their results with the plant list from "Mangroves to Mallee: The Complete Guide to the Vegetation of Temperate South Australia’. Several extra species were planted to satisfy the full vegetation association. Additionally, the students built a new pathway to enhance the visitor experience.