The Happy Tree Magic Returns to Cambridge

Published on 20 August 2020

The much-loved City Beach ‘Happy Tree’ has been given new life as part of the  recently completed nature play-space at City Beach Oval.

The famous giant tuart tree fell during strong winds in 2019 at its Hovea Crescent location, bringing an end to years of tradition and joy of children’s story-telling at the tree.

The Town preserved large sections of the tree to incorporate into the new play-space, including logs for edging and the trunk with original smiley face and carvings as the base of the free community library.

Local City Beach Primary School art students recently painted the ‘Little Library’, which sits on the original tree trunk and provides an opportunity for the storytelling tradition to continue in the future.

Town of Cambridge Mayor Keri Shannon will join School Principal Mari Dart and art students who painted the library on Thursday 20 August at 9:30am for a photo with their art project.

Mayor Shannon said the heritage-listed tree was deep-rooted in the community, attracting all ages to admire its painted carvings, adorned characters and messages of positivity.

“The Happy Tree was a landmark of great social value and historical significance in Cambridge so it’s great that the community can experience the magic again,” she said.   

The play-space also features twin mirrored hill racing slides, rustic fort, boulder amphitheatre, planted embankment, nature and rope play, baby basket swing and sand play area.

The play-space opened for use on Friday 14 August and is located at City Beach Oval, Fred Burton Way,City Beach.  

[ENDS]

Background Information:

The Happy Tree was the initiative of Ralph Soderlund and his wife Phyllis who built their home at 9 Hovea Crescent in 1961. In 1978, Walter Ralph Soderlund (c1921-2013), a retired orchardist carved and painted his first character, Mr Gnome, into this tree on the verge of their property. In every subsequent year, other characters were added to the tree. The inspiration for the tree was Ola Cohn's Fairies Tree in Fitzroy Gardens, Melbourne. Mr Soderlund carved 19 figures in the tree and published two books about their adventures:  ‘Stories from the Happy Tree’ and ‘More Stories from the Happy Tree’. 

An annual event was held at the tree in which local children were invited to a Happy Tree Party where they would listen to stories about the characters in the tree, written by Ralph Soderlund and illustrated by his wife.

Ralph Soderlund began the tradition in 1988 and would put on a top hat for the story telling event. The tradition has continued with a carved top hat added to the tree in 2016.

In 1997, Mr and Mrs Soderlund were awarded the Australia Day - 1997 Community Event Award by the National Australia Day Council.

In April 2000, the Town of Cambridge continued the tradition of hosting the annual community event and after the Soderlund’s retired and moved in 2012, the new owners of the property at 9 Hovea Crescent assisted with the hosting from 2013.

The Town erected a commemorative plaque celebrating the tree alongside a message from Mr Soderlund that read: “The Happy Tree stands tall and free, a gift from God for all to see, its happiness is there to share, take some to others to show you care”.

The Happy Tree was a Tuart gum tree (Eucalyptus gomphocephala), a local native tree estimated to be over 300 years old and was a remnant of the original bush in the area prior to the development of the suburb.