About The Peter Francis Points Arboretum
Status
The Peter Francis Points Arboretum is a gazetted arboretum, permanently reserved by the Victorian Government (Dec 22, 1994).
The arboretum maintains on the one site (37Ha/100ac) an extensive and valuable collection of plant taxa. The importance of this plant material is significant and widely recognised for its biological value. New plantings are regularly undertaken to ensure species diversity and health.
The Eucalyptus collection is designated “The OPCAA Registered Collection of Eucalypts” (Ornamental Plant Conservation Association of Australia Inc, through Melbourne Botanic Gardens).
The Banksia collection is similarly designated with this OPCAA registration. The status of the Grevillea collection is one of only three areas in Australia nominated by the Grevillea Study Group for the growing of rare and endangered Grevillea.
A study prepared for Parks Victoria by the F.A.R.M. (Farm And Resource Management) Advisory Service has identified the potential value of the arboretum’s plant collection as a scientific resource and training facility. The arboretum with its valuable genetic plant material, in combination with the Eucalyptus Discovery Centre and its training facilities, together have the potential as a Centre of Excellence for natural resource management training, and community participation.
This Centre of Environmental Excellence aims to prosper through ongoing research projects, education in the environmental field, and community involvement and implementation of ongoing environmental works.
Site
“The Points” is located on Crown Land, formerly a quarry,
and before that, the town’s Common and its first water catchment.
It is north-facing and has a 60-metre fall. The soil zones range from
ironstone gravels, sands and loams, through to black cracking clays.
This range of soil types allows great diversity in plantings.
