The following information is derived from the Aboriginal Scar Trees mini-poster; one of a set of 15 Aboriginal heritage mini-posters produced by Aboriginal Affairs Victoria.
The mini-poster can be downloaded by clicking
the poster thumbnail 
Aboriginal people caused scars on trees by removing bark for various purposes. The scars, which vary in size, expose the sap wood on the trunk or branch of a tree.
A scar formed by the removal of bark to make a canoe
Note that the scar is the
size that you would expect for a canoe, is rounded/pointed at both the top
and bottom, and starts above the ground.
A scar formed by the removal of a rectangular section of bark from a Messmate tree.
This tree is next to a bush hut
built in 1946. It was therefore probably made by the builder of the hut and
not created by an traditional Aboriginal person. However it clearly demonstrates
some of the features that may be found on scar trees created by Aboriginal
people when obtaining rectangular bark sheets for building materials or other
purposes. A key difference is that this scar is 60 years old (assuming it was
created at the time the hut was constructed), whereas the scar on an Aboriginal
scar tree would be at least 150 years old.
Note the axe marks across the junction between the lower rectangular section and the triangular apex. The rectangle was probably removed for use in the wall or roof of the hut. The apex triangle then died because of lack of access to water and nutrients from the roots. Axe marks are not visible at the vertical sides of the lower section, having been obscured by regrowth. Being much older, the axe marks on Aboriginal scar trees are often less obvious or may no longer be visible at all. If made using a stone axe they will not have such sharp cut marks as are created by a metal blade.
Cutting the bark for a canoe.
[This image is from the Teaching Kit image-set provided to the authors of this website by the Wathaurong Coop.]
Scar tree beside the Moorabool River
Another scar tree beside the Moorabool River
General
Scars formed by removal of a sheet of bark for use in the construction of a canoe
Scarred trees are found all over Victoria, wherever there are mature native trees, especially box and red gum. They most frequently occur along major rivers, around lakes and on flood plains.
Forty four scar trees have been recorded in the region, predominantly in the east and north. A well known example can be seen in Queen's Park beside the Barwon River in Geelong.
Click to view larger version
European settlers also removed bark from trees to build huts. Generally, these scars will be more square or rectangular in shape than those created by Aboriginal people. Boundary or survey markers made by European settlers and farmers also caused scars. Survey markers are usually triangular and may have a number or date carved or written on the sapwood. Trees close to roads may be damaged by passing vehicles or machinery. Scars caused in this way will usually only occur below a height of about two metres.
Fire, lightning, storms and floods can also cause scars on trees. Fire damage is distinctive: the scar is usually triangular, wide at the base and tapering up from the ground, and the wood is charred (although an Aboriginal scar tree may become charred in subsequent fires also). A scar caused by a falling branch often looks like a ‘keyhole’, with the stub of the branch at the top and a tail of torn sapwood beneath. Scars caused by falling trees can sometimes be identified by examining nearby tree stumps. These will usually give some idea of the direction in which the tree fell. If that direction matches the position of the scar, the scar may be natural.
Aboriginal people removed bark from trees to make canoes, containers and shields and to build temporary shelters. They also cut toe holds in trees to make them easier to climb. This allowed them to use trees as lookouts, hunt for possums or beehives, and cut bark higher up in the tree. Sometimes trees were carved or decorated, but examples are rare in Victoria.To remove bark, the Aboriginal person cut an outline of the shape they wanted using a stone axe (steel axes were used during and after the settlement period). The bark was then levered off. Sometimes the axe marks are still visible on the sapwood of the tree, but usually the marks will be hidden because the bark has grown back. The depth of the scar (as is apparent at the edge) provides an indication of the age of the scar.
Scarred trees provide valuable clues about the use of perishable materials by Aboriginal people. Because wood often rots away, Victorian museums have only a small number of Aboriginal wooden Artifacts. Most of our information on Aboriginal use of wood comes from the writings of early settlers and explorers. Scarred trees are easier to find than many other type of archaeological site. They tell us where Aboriginal people used to live, and help us find other types of archaeological sites, such as scatters of stone tools. Scarred trees also provide Aboriginal people today with an important link to their culture and their past.
Scarred trees are disappearing because of natural aging and decay, timber cutting, environmental problems such as salinity and fire. Aboriginal Affairs Victoria records scarred trees so that we will have a permanent photographic and written record of this important part of the heritage of all Australians. Some scarred trees require attention, so they will be preserved for future generations.
All Aboriginal cultural places and artifacts in Victoria are protected by law. It is illegal to disturb or destroy an Aboriginal place. Artifacts should not be removed from sites.
Please help to preserve Aboriginal artifacts cultural heritage sites by reporting their presence to Aboriginal Affairs Victoria.
In general, the presence of an Aboriginal scar tree on private land will not affect ownership or stop pre-existing land uses from continuing.
The presence of an Aboriginal scar trees may indicate that other artifacts are present, or that sites of Aboriginal cultural heritage significance are present nearby. Please preserve Aboriginal cultural heritage sites by conducting environmental, agricultural and other activities in a manner that does not impact on them. Such areas are likely to cover a very small area relative to the size of most properties and avoiding disturbance should therefore have little effect on productivity. The presence of such a place will greatly enhance the value of a carefully conducted environmental project and is likely to assist applicants seeking funds for environmental projects.