Manly’s Norfolk Island Pine trees, first planted in 1877, have a rich history. The Beautification Committee, which included the first Mayor and several aldermen, advised by the Botanic Gardens proposed their formal planting along the beach front. Early challenges included trees failing due to being planted in their boxes, but once corrected, they thrived. During WWII, an order from the Army at Victoria Barracks to remove all the trees for military installations was halted by the local Mayor Alfred Miller, saving most of them. In the late 20th century, some were mistakenly replaced with Cook Pines, prompting a Management and Conservation Plan in 2009, seeing the surviving pines numbered after it was revealed they were being damaged by sewage surfactants on the wind. The pines are now heritage-listed, with efforts to maintain their health and historical significance, with many now replaced as they meet their demise.

Photo courtesy of Northern Beaches Council Library Local Studies. Date c1880 to c1890s