The Fairies Tree

The Fairy Tree sits inside a glass case in the Fitzroy Gardens, defined by the intricate carvings of elves, gnomes, and kookaburras covering its stump. Artist Ola Cohn spent years chiseling these figures into the dead trunk during the nineteen thirties, dedicating the work to the children of Melbourne. She famously refused to accept payment for the sculpture, insisting that the tree belonged entirely to the public. Generations of visitors have since pressed their faces against the glass to find their favorite character.