If every scent tells a story, the Australian Sandalwood Tree (Santalum Spicatum) must be a library; rich with ecological, cultural and economic history books.  

But today, much of this history is at risk, with unsustainable harvesting, climate change and feral predators pushing the tree perilously close to extinction.  

In this episode, we drive down the Gunbarrel Highway to the Birriliburu Indigenous Protected Area in WA's central deserts to find some of the oldest sandalwood trees in the world. Underneath their scrambling canopies, we ask: How are they going in the wild? What makes these trees so special? And what does their future hold?

Produced by Eliza Herbert and Kate Thorburn.

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Bush Heritage Australia is a leading not-for-profit conservation organisation that works to protect and regenerate millions of hectares of ecologically important land across the continent. This podcast's focus on trees and Country is especially vital to understanding and advancing Australia's conservation future.

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