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Two European men standing by a tree, scarred with past bark removal by Aboriginal people, for making bark canoes, possibly Waikerie or Kroehns Landing.

Aboriginal communities living along the rivers of south-eastern Australia cut the bark from trees to build canoes. This practice was particularly prevalent along the River Murray and its tributaries and has left an abundance of what we now call 'canoe trees'.

The plentiful river red gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) around the Murray provided perfect bark for the building of canoes. While the bark was still fresh and supple, it was fashioned into a boat-like shape. The canoes were often propelled by the use of a long shaft like a punt.

The canoes did not have a long life as prolonged immersion in water caused the bark sheets to become sodden. For this reason, they were used for fishing and crossing rivers rather than for extended journeys.

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