If you've never stood under the vast canopy of a Morton Bay fig tree, then you have obviously lived a very un-sheltered life. These magnificent trees, when mature, turn a landscape into a one tree show. They have been recorded to grow 60m (200ft) with at least that, if not more, in width and live well into their centuries.

You won't ever want to plant one of these in your suburban garden but for parks and reserves they are the best shade trees ever. Not to mention, that Morton Bay figs are incredible climbing trees too so they are a perennial favourite for the kids.

Like most ficus plants, ficus macrophylla, is no exception to the "roots-abound" rule. These trees are quite shallow-rooted and as they mature their roots are very obvious from the surface.

Their fruit, figs that appear throughout the year, are edible but have very little taste and are quite unpalatable. They will often drop once mature and become quite messy beneath the trees canopy but are good foraging for birds and small animals.

This Moreton Bay fig tree is located right next to the beach foreshore here in Busselton. It has been growing here since the town boomed with tree-loggers back in the 19th century and, apart from some scheduled pruning, should remain for many years to come.