The Wanaka willow tree started off more than 80 years ago as a fencepost. A fencepost made from the branch of one of the nearby willows, to be precise, which wasn’t quite dead and took root on the edge of the lake. This was an impressive feat of resilience, but not a famous one, that is until a photographer took an image of the tree on a misty June day which won awards.
Becoming known from that photo, the tree has been the target of Instagramers around the world, making it even more famous. Unfortunately, crowds have visited the tree, and a small few have damaged it by climbing the tree.
Historically, the tree has been offshore and was not as easily gotten to, but the waters of the lake have receded as you can see in this photo, making it more accessible.