Centennial Parklands Dining has announced its autumn trading hours for the Easter weekend and the rest of the season. 
See the fantastic 52 weekly winners from our 2011 Park Visitor photo competition! 
If you love Centennial Parklands, have questions or concerns, you can have your say through the Parklands' Community Consultative Committee 
Gate times have changed as of Sunday 1 April due to the end of daylight savings in NSW. 
Our new blog is live, so why not check out the latest blog post now. A great read for all who love these Parklands. 
Ombu Tree
Name:
Ombu tree
Botanical name:
Phytolacca dioica
Description:
The Ombu Tree is a medium sized, evergreen tree native to the pampas grasslands of South America.
The tree itself takes on an umbrella shaped form and has numerous trunks thus giving it the appearance of a large shrub.
The tree can reach a height of up to 15 metres with a canopy of 10 to 15 metres, making it a popular shade tree in parts of the United States and South America.
The Ombu tree is native to a region that receives little rainfall, so the tree has developed a unique way of storing water by forming a large fleshy base. The tree can withstand temperatures as little as -4 degrees celcius and prolonged dry periods.
The Ombu tree can be identified by its dark, glossy leaves, small, greenish white flowers followed by red and green berries that are toxic to humans and animals.
Where can they be seen in the Parklands:
The Ombu tree is rarely cultivated within Australia with only a few known specimens in the country.
Centennial Parklands is fortunate to have one located at the very end of Musgrave Avenue.
This tree is one of the most visited and talked about trees within the Parklands. It appears to be in decline but has been retained to allow the basal suckers to take the place of the original canopy as it would naturally occur in the wild.
