If you’re after a bit of free fun with a side of Olympic history and tree-hugging heritage, We’ve got just the thing. On a recent mission, we set out to find a very specific oak tree. Not just any tree, but one that’s listed in Timaru’s new District Plan as notable. Clue: it’s tucked away at Timaru Boys' High School. Ten points if you can guess how it got there. Even more if you can find it.
The oak I was looking for isn’t particularly tall or dramatic. In fact, back in 1970, forest researcher S.W. Burstall described it rather bluntly: “poorly sited and its growth rate is below average.” Not exactly the hero's welcome you'd expect for a tree with Olympic pedigree.
Because here’s the twist: this little oak was once a star. Planted in October 1941 by the President of the Old Boys’ Association, A.J. Allport, it was a gift sent back to New Zealand after Jack Lovelock won gold in the 1500m at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He smashed the world record. Everyone cheered. Then he got a potted oak.
At the Berlin Games, every gold medallist received an English oak sapling from the German Olympic Committee (not from Hitler, as is often mythologised). The idea was symbolic—growth, strength, victory. Each one came in a terracotta pot with an inscription: “Grow in the honour of victory! Summon to further achievement!”
Lovelock’s sapling made the journey all the way from Berlin to South Canterbury, and now, here it stands—still growing, slowly, just behind the main school buildings. You might walk past it and not even notice. But when you know what it is, it becomes something quite special.
And right nearby, there’s something else worth seeing. Tucked under a shelter by the school driveway is a sculpture of Lovelock himself, mid-stride, carved from Oamaru stone. It’s not a large statue, but it’s full of life and motion. You can feel the determination etched into the curve of his body. It makes a lovely pairing with the tree—a tribute in stone and wood, legacy and growth. The whole outing took less than an hour, cost nothing, and left me feeling like I’d stumbled into a little pocket of international history right here in Timaru.
We so often walk past these things—living stories in public spaces, quietly waiting to be noticed. This one’s easy to miss, but all the better when you finally spot it.
Explorer tip: Go on a fine day in the weekend when the young men are not learning at the school, take someone with a good eye for trees, and bring your sense of curiosity. Bonus points if you walk or cycle there. You could even tack it onto a walk down Wai-iti Road or a detour from the Scenic Reserve. Free, fun, surprising, and rooted (literally) in one of the greatest sporting moments of the 20th century. That’s a win!
