This gnarled apple tree is the remnants of a past orchard and Michael Finnerty’s early pioneering efforts at his Spring Park Farm. It is located in the corner of the main quadrangle close to the Cornet Building at the University of Victoria (UVic).

Arriving to Victoria in 1859 from Ireland, Michael Finnerty became one of Victoria’s most successful market gardeners in the early days of pioneer living. In order to build his farmstead and plant an orchard, Michael Finnerty felled enormous trees, some 10 feet in diameter; he was the first to clear the land from the eastern side of Gordon Head’s thick forest. Included on his farm were dairy cows, chickens, and an apple orchard. Finnerty Road, located on the northeast side of the University campus, was constructed in 1872 by Michael Finnerty. For 40 years Michael Finnerty drank mineral water from the farm’s natural springs. He remarkably lived to 109 years old.