River red gum wins Australia's favourite native tree countdown, Moreton Bay fig fans and boab boosters left gutted

Thank you so much for joining us today as we crowned Australia's favourite native tree, as voted by

A huge thank you to my ABC Science colleagues Jonathan Webb and Kylie Andrews, and to our expert Tim Entwisle, the Director and Chief Executive of the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, for joining us today.

A lot of you have been writing in to say you have a greater appreciation for native Australian trees now thanks to our count down, which is wonderful to hear!

Remember, you can catch up with Australia's Favourite Tree on iview.

Until next time!

What a magnificent result! The ABC science unit has been thrilled with the response to this project — thanks so much to all of you for getting involved.

As for the river red gum — it grows across so much of the country, it definitely had geography on its side. But such a worthy winner.

It twists and turns as it gathers water from deep underground, reaches for the sky and sends generous branches in improbable directions… And for millennia it's been a hardware, a pharmacy and much, much more for Indigenous Australians. Its fresh wood is a famously vibrant red, and the same chemicals make its smoke a natural antibiotic.

You may have dangled beneath a river red gum on a tyre swing, or hitched a boat to its trunk. Even in the absence of any visible moisture, you've probably seen it lighting up the country's hidden waterways in cool, shady green.

It wasn't my personal pick — I was for the paper bark and the ghost gum — but this is a result I'm very happy to endorse!

Millie Ross, who is a judge on Australia's Favourite Tree, explains why the species has been chosen after three rounds of polling and more than 270,000 votes.

They sure did!

On the Catalyst program, Australia's Favourite Tree, the experts deemed the mountain ash a worthy winner.

Today, we announced the people's choice, as voted by

River red gums have long held a special place in Australia's cultural history - from Harold Cazneaux's famous 1937 photo, Spirit Of Endurance, to its ongoing significance for traditional owners.

This excerpt about the river red gum is from the Australian documentary series, Catalyst – Australia's Favourite Tree. You can stream the program now on ABC iview here.

He's used to throwing the hard hitting questions at some of Australia's most powerful figures, but now

And he's got two!

"I particularly love the banksia serrata, or old man banksia, because of its gnarly bark and its amazing cones," he told the ABC.

"If a tress can be beautiful in its unique ugliness, this one's it. I have one growing in my garden that I grew from a seed, after asking a lovely family in Mittagong if I could pinch one of their cones."

He also loves the Wollemi.

"I just love it because of its contrasts. It is newly-discovered yet one of Australia's most ancient.

"And like the banksia serrata it is also a bit odd, carrying both the female ball-shaped cones and also the long, dangly male bits.

"I have one growing in a pot… I might put it in the garden one day, but I think I'd miss its company!"

It seems that some of you (along with Shaun Micallef) want transparency, which is fair! So here's the percentage of votes each tree got:

1. 1.River red gum — 18.11%
2. 2.Snow gum — 14.18%
3. 3.Ghost gum — 12.61%
4. 4.Moreton Bay fig — 12.57%
5. 5.Mountain ash — 11.73%
6. 6.Boab — 6.81%
7. 7.Karri — 6.48%
8. 8.Red flowering gum — 6.33%
9. 9.Illawarra flame tree — 5.67%
10. 10.Golden wattle — 5.51%

As you can see, there was barely anything in between the Moreton Bay fig and the ghost gum! Nail-biting stuff, I tell you.

But what is SUPER clear is that our beloved river red gum is the clear favourite with a huge lead.

Robyn Williams, host of ABC RN's The Science Show, has not one but THREE favourite trees.

"I love THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE: it gave me a job (which I've been doing for 50 years) and showed me what some regard as sin. But the tree knows better!

"Trees with cones to attract Black Cockatoos so I can watch them gambol in the canopies and then hurl the chewed feast to the ground as I look up.

"The vast eucalypt outside my small house Termite Towers in Sydney. It was there when we moved in growing fast – now it's three times taller, threatening the flightpaths of planes. The neighbours live in fear."

Camp snow gums and the Moreton Bay fig fans (myself included) are left to pick up the pieces.

Happy tears for me... I have LOVED River Red Gums for as long as I can remember...their individual personalities, their rugged beauty, memories of climbing on their branches, and of course the amazing habitat they provide. Yay for the River Red Gum! - Wendy

Just saying, the Moreton Bay Fig won this - by a LOT! - Give Me a Home Among The Fig Trees

What a ride! Before this countdown started, I probably couldn't identify too many, but oh man, did I get invested!!! I'm now Team FRG. What a stunner! - Meg

My tree was the winner but they are all beautiful! Great fun way to celebrate trees well done ABC. Now let’s all now go out and plant more of them!! - Neil M

Nooooo, poor ol' Snow Gums - missing out to the stoopid, beautiful River Red Gums.... (LOVED this process so much ABC! We are going to run a workplace sweep next year!) - DotH

Our late father, Rod Dunstan would have absolutely LOVED this poll, trees were his great love (after our mum). Thank you so much, this has been so enjoyable! - Jessie Dunstan

This was fun! I enjoy these events. Having strong opinions on "odd" or "random" stuff is something I think is innate to us people. Plus, it helps spread awareness about trees. Trees are important! It got us talking about important stuff, in a fun context! Wonder if there'll be similar events in the future... Thanks for this. (I've not got strong opinions on the river red gum, #mountainash4ever, but it seems a solid tree. Congrats to those who were going for the river red gum.) - Eda

Any one of the ten could be number one. It’s been great to see that we are becoming more aware of the beauty and uniqueness of Aussie trees. - Damon M

Losing my top two choices (paperbark and e.caesia) to earlier cullings, I'm now a bit excited at the elevation of that most majestic of eucalypts, the river red gum. - Diana

I am thrilled with the results - the top three are so "our spirits". They are all beautiful and we must do all we can to heal our countries. - intouch

DID NOT SEE THAT AT ALL. Shocke! Congrats to the River Red Gum. It truly does represent the dry scorched earth of this continent. For it to win clearly it represent more than just a tree, it represnts a lands identity, an ancient culture and the fragility of our environment. Well done ABC! I look forward to the Moreton Bay Fig taking the crown next year. - Cario

The top three are perfect…hugging a gum as we speak👏🏻🤗 - Jazz

Oh yes....the River Red Gum. So Australian. My all time favourite. Brilliant - Clare

Spewing about my figgy Boi losing out on top 3, but elated for the River Red Gum. Quality Tree! - Gutted but happy

Thanks ABC for helping to educate Aussies about our magnificent trees and the animals and birds that they support. Sad about the majestic mountain ash coming in fifth but at least it came first in the experts votes. It also showed the gorgeous greater glider that many Aussies wouldn't have known about - Annie

Nooooo😭not my mate Snow! Ah well the penultimate Australian tree! - Persey

The Snow Gum is the most beautiful tree in Australia! It should have won. - Wendy

did not expect thinking about trees would make me so emotional 😭 they're so beautiful and awe inspiring!!! what a privilege it is to live in this world!! 🌳🌴🌲 - Give me a home among the gum trees

Well said, Tim!

We'll come back to you in just a moment for a word on the trees which came second, third and fourth.

But for now, let's turn to our audience! What do you make of the results??

And the crowd goes wild.

Do we all know what this means ...?

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FEEL.

ARE WE ALL OKAY?

WOW. Just wow.

I demand justice for the Moreton Bay Fig. Stop the steal! - Nic