On Tuesday 12 April 2011, Major General Michael Jeffery was the latest distinguished Australian to plant a tree at the National Arboretum Canberra. Together with the Chief Minister Jon Stanhope, on what was a cold and windy Autumn day, they traversed the zig-zag track down Ceremonial Valley to plant a beautiful flowering eucalypt from Western Australia.
Major General Jeffery was Australia's 24th Governor-General (2003 - 2008) and was the first Australian career soldier to be appointed to this position.
Born in Western Australia in 1937, he graduated from the Royal Military College Duntroon in 1958. His 35 year military career included numerous postings, but he is best known for his work in shaping the counter-terrorism response of the Australian Special Air Services (SAS) Regiment.
As Major General Jeffery is a Western Australian, the Arboretum team deemed it appropriate for him to plant a tree native to his home state. Eucalyptus caesia is a well known eucalypt with beautiful large red/pink flowers, and grows to a height of up to 9m. It is found on granite outcrops in a restricted area in south Western Australia.
View the fact sheet on Eucalyptus caesia.
Photographs of the Tree Planting
