The Mornington Peninsula is home to nearly 700 species of indigenous plants, including dozens of native trees. From mangroves to rainforests, these trees form just one part of an ecosystem of flora and fauna, as busy and thriving as any city.
Trees take the starring role in Sophie Cunningham’s latest book, City of Trees: Essays on Life, Death and the Need for a Forest. From intimate personal reflections on death and grief to international contemplations about the eucalyptus as an invasive species, this poignant essay collection considers our relationships to trees, and how and why we love them. What does it mean to admire the beauty of nature in the face of climate catastrophe?
Cunningham is the author of five books, all of which look towards the built and natural worlds we live in, from Melbourne to Warning: The Story of Cyclone Tracy. This November at Montalto – on a property filled with olive trees and eucalypts – join Cunningham and series host Elizabeth McCarthy for a conversation about trees: how we live with them, and what they tell us about life.
