WITH winter providing ideal planting conditions, now is the perfect time to add new trees to your garden, and this year, every visit to Speciality Trees’ Annual Benalla Clearance Sale will also help celebrate a meaningful act of community support.
Returning for one weekend only from Friday to Sunday, August 14-16, the annual three-day sale offers the public a rare opportunity to purchase quality trees at genuine clearance prices, with a wide selection of evergreen and native container-grown trees, along with premium deciduous bareroot stock surplus to the nursery’s 2026 needs.
This year’s event will also see Speciality Trees donate 1,000 bareroot trees to residents affected by the January 2026 Longwood bushfires, helping families restore their properties and landscapes as they recover from the devastating fires.
Speciality Trees Managing Director Hamish Mitchell said the donation was a practical way to support the local community.
“Donating 1,000 trees to our regional community represents a sizeable portion of our own 2026 bareroot supply. We wanted to help the community in a practical way and we felt this was the best way to do that,” he said.
Although the Benalla nursery escaped the fires, Mr Mitchell said the devastation across neighbouring communities was impossible to ignore.
“It’s all about growing again and growing better together,” he said.
No stranger to natural disasters itself, Speciality Trees experienced the effects of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires before a devastating hailstorm 12 months later destroyed around 80 per cent of its tree stock.
Mr Mitchell said replanting was an important part of community recovery.
“When our environment is impacted and livelihoods are affected, replanting trees, like rebuilding structures, helps to knit the environment together and keep community connected both physically and mentally,” he said.
Eligible Longwood residents will be able to collect donated bundles of five fire-resistant deciduous bareroot trees by identifying themselves to staff. Trees will be available on a first-come, first-served basis while stocks last.
For gardeners, landscapers and property owners, the annual clearance remains the main attraction. Held just once a year, the sale provides access to surplus nursery stock at genuine clearance prices, with knowledgeable staff on hand to provide expert advice on tree selection, planting and care.
The event takes place at 1317 Mansfield Road, Benalla, with gates open 8am to 4pm on Friday, August 14, and Saturday, August 15, and 8am to 12pm on Sunday, August 16.
To learn more or view the clearance stock list before the sale, visit www.specialitytrees.com.au/blog/get-ready-our-yearly-benalla-tree-clearance-is-on-again-y12r1 or phone (03) 9554 2000.
