Since a cutting from the famous Tobruk Fig Tree was brought back to Australia from Libya more than 80 years ago, dozens more have been taken and propagated around the country.

But until this week none had made their way to Port Lincoln despite "at least 100" of the Rats of Tobruk hailing from the Eyre Peninsula.

It was something 32-year-old history buff Tim Cook was determined to rectify when he first learnt about the World War II siege.

"I had the idea for the first time when I was 13 or 14, so it has taken a long time," he said.

"I had a fascination with war histories as a kid and I started looking a lot more into Australia's involvement, reading a lot of books and watching a lot of documentaries, and I ended up zeroing in on the war in Africa.

" The one thing that stood out thro

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