diff --git a/samples/treectrl/treetest.cpp b/samples/treectrl/treetest.cpp
index 5a18e39a9a..6a8c9c228e 100644
--- a/samples/treectrl/treetest.cpp
+++ b/samples/treectrl/treetest.cpp
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ void MyFrame::OnIdle(wxIdleEvent& event)
         wxString status;
         if (idRoot.IsOk())
         {
-            wxTreeItemId idLast = m_treeCtrl->GetLastChild(idRoot);
+            wxTreeItemId idLast = m_treeCtrl->GetLastTreeITem();
             status = wxString::Format(
                 wxT("Root/last item is %svisible/%svisible"),
                 m_treeCtrl->IsVisible(idRoot) ? wxT("") : wxT("not "),
@@ -759,7 +759,7 @@ void MyFrame::OnCollapseAndReset(wxCommandEvent& WXUNUSED(event))
 void MyFrame::OnEnsureVisible(wxCommandEvent& WXUNUSED(event))
 {
     const wxTreeItemId
-        idLast = m_treeCtrl->GetLastChild(m_treeCtrl->GetRootItem());
+        idLast = m_treeCtrl->GetLastTreeITem();
     if ( idLast.IsOk() )
         m_treeCtrl->EnsureVisible(idLast);
     else
@@ -907,16 +907,7 @@ void MyFrame::OnScrollTo(wxCommandEvent& WXUNUSED(event))
 
 void MyFrame::OnSelectLast(wxCommandEvent& WXUNUSED(event))
 {
-    // select the very last item of the tree
-    wxTreeItemId item = m_treeCtrl->GetRootItem();
-    for ( ;; )
-    {
-        wxTreeItemId itemChild = m_treeCtrl->GetLastChild(item);
-        if ( !itemChild.IsOk() )
-            break;
-
-        item = itemChild;
-    }
+    wxTreeItemId item = m_treeCtrl->GetLastTreeITem();
 
     CHECK_ITEM( item );
 
@@ -1210,6 +1201,21 @@ void MyTreeCtrl::AddTestItemsToTree(size_t numChildren,
     }
 }
 
+wxTreeItemId MyTreeCtrl::GetLastTreeITem() const
+{
+    wxTreeItemId item = GetRootItem();
+    for ( ;; )
+    {
+        wxTreeItemId itemChild = GetLastChild(item);
+        if ( !itemChild.IsOk() )
+            break;
+
+        item = itemChild;
+    }
+
+    return item;
+}
+
 void MyTreeCtrl::GetItemsRecursively(const wxTreeItemId& idParent,
                                      wxTreeItemIdValue cookie)
 {
diff --git a/samples/treectrl/treetest.h b/samples/treectrl/treetest.h
index 325a82c54a..61fac9dacf 100644
--- a/samples/treectrl/treetest.h
+++ b/samples/treectrl/treetest.h
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ public:
     void OnRMouseUp(wxMouseEvent& event);
     void OnRMouseDClick(wxMouseEvent& event);
 
+    wxTreeItemId GetLastTreeITem() const;
     void GetItemsRecursively(const wxTreeItemId& idParent,
                              wxTreeItemIdValue cookie = 0);
 
@@ -137,6 +138,7 @@ protected:
     }
 
 private:
+    // Find the very last item in the tree.
     void AddItemsRecursively(const wxTreeItemId& idParent,
                              size_t nChildren,
                              size_t depth,