Geelong ginkgo named Victoria's Tree of the Year for 2026

A ginkgo biloba tree in the Geelong Botanic Gardens has been named Victoria's Tree of the Year for 2026, after beating eight other finalists in a public vote. Victoria is a state in south-eastern Australia, and the awards are run by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria).

According to The Guardian, the Geelong ginkgo received 27% of the 4,435 public votes cast. The smooth bark apple myrtle in Prahran came second, and the myrtle beech in Apollo Bay came third.

The ginkgo, a tree species with fan-shaped leaves, was planted in 1859 and is more than 160 years old, the Guardian reported. It stands 20 metres tall and is the largest ginkgo biloba in Victoria and possibly Australia, the same report said. The National Trust's Tree of the Year page describes the winner as a female tree grown from seed planted in the Geelong Botanic Gardens in 1859.

The tree's nomination had been confirmed earlier in the month. On 21 October 2026, the City of Greater Geelong said in a social media post that its Geelong Botanic Gardens ginkgo biloba had been nominated for the 2026 National Trust Victorian Tree of the Year.