One of the most amazing things about New England National Park was the trees. Of course, the highlight of the show was the Antarctic beech, Nothofagus moorei. Somewhere in the order of 100 million years ago, Australia, South America and Antarctica were joined in a supercontinent known as Gondwana. The climate was wet and temperate - perfect conditions for Nothofagus. At the time, Nothofagus were common, much more common than they are today. As Australia separated out from Antarctica and started to drift northward, it started to dry up and temperatures increased. Deserts started forming across central Australia becuase there was so little moisture. The Nothofagus, which needed moist and cool conditions, was gradually replaced by more arid plants like Eucalyptus and Acacia. Now, they are restricted to a few spots in the mountains along the east coast, relics of a time which was cooler and wetter.
Read MoreNothofagus moorei: these tall, majestic trees are considered 'ancient' relics of Australias Gondwanan past, once abundant but now limited to pockets of suitable climate in mountains along the east coast.
