Pearce River Tree Ring records 2,200 years of history

Above: Federal Group’s Master Storyteller, Aaron Cuneo alongside the Pearce River Tree.

Hobart’s Henry Jones Art Hotel has just unveiled one of Australia’s most remarkable timber relics, a 2,200-year-old Huon pine tree ring, now on public display in the hotel’s glass-roofed IXL Atrium.

Known as the Pearce River Tree Ring, this extraordinary cross-section has been loaned by Sustainable Timber Tasmania and carefully refurbished before being returned to public view for the first time in over a decade.

The refurbished Pearce River Tree Ring records a timeline of historical events.

Originally salvaged from the Lake Gordon area in 1975 before inundation by the Gordon Dam, the ring was once gifted by IXL Timber to the Tasmanian Government. Its return to the historic IXL precinct marks a symbolic homecoming, connecting Tasmania’s pioneering timber industry to its modern appreciation for heritage and sustainable forest management

The hotel now showcases a growing collection of Huon pine relics, including a 750 year old, 5.6 metre long burled log known as Monster, and two additional relics carbon dated to 14,000 and 32,000 years old.

The 5.6 metre long burled log known as ‘Monster’ is another of the Huon pine relics displayed at The Henry Jones Art Hotel.

Each piece tells a story of endurance and environmental evolution, offering insight into Tasmania’s ancient landscapes and the qualities that make Huon pine one of the world’s most revered timbers.

The partnership between The Henry Jones Art Hotel and Sustainable Timber Tasmania highlights not only the creative potential of rare native timbers, but also the importance of stewardship, with Huon pine seedlings now being cultivated and planted to ensure the species’ continuity.

Images courtesy The Henry Jones Art Hotel