Tumbarumba’s Dog Tree Road has become one such icon, according to local resident Billie-Jo Brown.

While the reason for the name may shock some readers, Ms Brown said the reality of its heritage were part of everyday life for many small-time farming communities. 

The road was named after the town’s Dog Tree; used to hang wild dogs threatening farmers’ livestock. 

A supervisor of the state’s Forestry Corporation hardwood forests division, Ms Brown said the concept began as a means of communication between land owners.

“(The hanging of dogs or foxes on trees and fences) started historically as a bush telegraph,” Ms Brown said. 

“They would alert farmers that either wild dogs were present and growing in number, or that a specific dog … attacking and killing livestock had been caught.” 

She said the tree could be confronting for some visitors, but added most people understood pest-control processes were a means of protecting native animals, livestock and even people.

“The original tree (which burned down) was established by a local farmer,” Ms Brown said. “It soon became an icon … and the road was renamed accordingly.”