'A good healthy specimen'. Looij 1984. 'John Davies Ormond, the founder of Karamu, began by walking from Wellington to Hawkes Bay to seek his future. He became one of the leading runholders of the day. He had a love of trees and planted many at Karamu, several of which have become specimens of their kind. He had towns in the Gisborne and Hawkes Bay areas named after him and during the late 1860's and 1870's was the Superintendent for Hawkes Bay when New Zealand was governed provincially. The Hon. JD. Ormond's love of trees is commemorated by the Oak avenue along Ormond Road Hastings. These were planted about 1875 and since have been interspersed by other smaller trees. It is probably the most outstanding avenue in New Zealand'. Burstall 1974. 'JD. Ormond owned and occupied the property at this time. It is known that he did much planting on the property, so it is most likely that he also planted this tree'. Ferkins 1993. Reference. Burstall SW. FM. Report no.18. 1974; p.58.