The Secret Garden In The Banksia Tree

• Breeanna Luxford, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2019

Have you ever wondered why Banksia park is called Banksia park? Well let me tell a story.
”Years ago, the furry and scalely creatures, the Koalas, Kangaroos, Blue-Tongued Skinks and Marbled Geckos who lived there were afraid of the Banksia birds. What were the Banksia birds? Every night whilst everyone slept, in and all over the Silver Banksia trees, the Banksia nuts and flowers would split in two. They would detach themselves along with a few leaves and turn into colourful birds. The birds begin their lives in the tree tending to their nest and eggs but the loud grating squawks they made woke and scared the creatures. When the morning sun rose, the birds turned back into the flowers and nuts and go to sleep. Although noisy, the birds were friendly unless you touched their eggs...
One dark and stormy night, a kangaroo named Bob who kept a magic stick behind his ear decided to solve this problem. He needed to use his stick and the magic in the Banksia bird's eggs to turn the birds back into the nuts and flowers permanently, forever, so the creatures could stop being afraid. Bob crept up to the trees and took all of the eggs. The birds came out of the tree and became very angry but it was too late. Bob had smashed the eggs and combined the yolks with his magic stick. He painted the yolks on the flowers and flower buds. The yolk sealed the flowers making it impossible for them to transform again. The creatures were very grateful and now when you see a Silver banksia tree and the yellow flowers, you will know they were once Banksia birds. The land they lived in is Banksia Park.
The End