That Wānaka Tree
Tree in New Zealand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
That Wānaka Tree, or That Wānaka Willow, is the nickname of a willow tree located at the southern end of Lake Wānaka in the Otago region of New Zealand. The tree grows alone in the water and is a popular destination for tourists to take photos. It was planted by Tim Scur as a fence post and unexpectedly grew. The Wānaka Tree can be seen on postcards and in paintings across the world especially in relation to New Zealand.
| That Wānaka Tree | |
|---|---|
The tree at sunrise | |
.png)  That Wānaka Tree Location within New Zealand | |
| Species | Crack willow (Salix × fragilis) |
| Location | Southern Lake Wānaka |
| Coordinates | 44.6983°S 169.1175°E |
Popularity
The tree derives its nickname from the hashtag "#ThatWanakaTree", which is used on Instagram to identify photos of it.[1] The tree has been described as "New Zealand's most famous tree" and called "one of the most photographed trees in all New Zealand."[2][1] A photograph of the tree by Dennis Radermacher won the 2014 New Zealand Geographic photo of the year award.[3]
Human impact
As a result of its popularity, the tree has been damaged on several occasions, both intentionally and unintentionally. A branch came off in late 2017 because tourists had climbed it, which led to the local tourism board installing signs discouraging the practice.[4] The tree was vandalised on 18 March 2020, with multiple limbs being sawn off and left on the shore.[5][6] Reports noted that the cold water the roots are submerged in would negatively affect the limbs' regrowth.[4] The human impact on the tree has been compared to that at other tourist attractions like Joshua Tree National Park and Uluru.[1][7]