Once upon a time, huge tracts of the South East Queensland coastline were host to a thick, impenetrable forest of tea-tree swamps. This low-lying coastal land was a paradise for biodiversity with rich soils, plenty of water and luscious vegetation. It was also home to Australia’s tallest orchid. Standing at over 2 metres tall, this monumental beauty was a holy grail for plant collectors and for centuries it was poached from the wild. Now surviving in only a few secret locations, continued land-drainage and development push the species even further towards the brink. This is the story of the Swamp Orchid.