TWO new benches were unveiled by Gawler Council and the Gawler Environment and Heritage Association (GEHA) as a part of a revamped and ‘complete’ Gum Tree Plaza on Saturday morning.

The seats now match the already existing sets, along with a refurbished replica plaque of The Bunyip and a new sign featuring a poem about the gum tree by Geoff New.

GEHA spokesperson Adrian Shackley said the additions give life to Gum Tree Plaza.

“It makes the plaza into a more usable place for people,” he said.

“People have been using them already, which is a good sign.

“It looked a bit half finished with just two seats in one corner.

“They’ll be helpful in making the plaza a more community place.”

Mr Shackley added both The Bunyip and poem plaques have significant history with the gum tree, especially when there were calls to remove it from the 1960s through to the mid-1990s.

“The Bunyip plaque was put in there originally about 10-15 years ago, but it was on a very low concrete pedestal,” he said.

“We made it more visible.

“The poem was written by Geoff New back in the time when the gum tree was under threat, and we thought it was an appropriate poem to celebrate Gum Tree Plaza.

“From the early 1960s until the mid-1990s, therewere regular considerations by the landowners and Gawler Council as to whether the tree should be removed.

“First of all, the tree was partly on council land and partly on land that was part of Gawler Arcade.

“Council purchased the Gawler Arcade land that included the gum tree, which allowed the plaza area to be established.”

Both Gawler mayor Karen Redman and Light MP Tony Piccolo shared some words about the tree itself, and Mr Shackley was thankful to Mr Piccolo for his assistance in saving it.

“Tony Piccolo was very important when he was on the council, having helped with the purchasing of the land from the Gawler Arcade,” he said.

“It’s a very significant landmark in central Gawler and looking after it is important.

“It gets regularly assessed by an arborist.”