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Tourists in Queensland, Australia are being tempted into parting with their money to buy a piece of history.

Laminated leaves from a tree in Barcaldine, known as the Tree of Knowledge, are proving to be a very popular item, with locals saying that tourists are the keenest buyers.

The Tree of Knowledge is said to be the birthplace of the Labour Party in Australia and has been in place for around 200 years, reports ABC News.

However, the ghost gum tree has shed its leaves for the final time after it was poisoned last year.

Now many people are desperate to get their hands on a piece of Australian history and sellers at the Workers Heritage Centre have made an effort to turn the leaves into collectables.

'They're done up in a small way like a bookmark,' said local shire councillor, Pat Ogden.

'In hindsight, when the tree was dropping its leaves they were raking them up by the thousands but there's been a hell of a lot of interest in getting a piece of the old tree now because it's history.'

A new tree has been planted in the spot which was left vacant following the death of the Tree of Knowledge.

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