Firebreak fury as ancient trees fall
ÊRESIDENTS neighbouring The Esplanade at Toolakea have called firebreaks “complete overkill” after “100- yearold” trees were bulldozed.
One woman was arrested for protesting against the firebreaks.
Toolakea property owner Doug Gage said he woke up yesterday morning to bulldozers knocking down paperbark trees and scrub.
“There was no notice to property owners. This is just complete overkill,” Mr Gage said. “They just ploughed through it. There’s no need to take down big trees. ( When creating a firebreak) you work around the big stuff and work on the little stuff.”
Mr Gage thought the trees were more than a century old.
“You wouldn’t be able to wrap your arms around them,” he said.
He said the trees were left in big piles and posed a danger to children playing in the area.
“Now there’s just a big pile of s-- t. It’s created a beautiful habitat for poisonous snakes,” he said.
Mr Gage was not the only resident to feel outraged by the clearance of trees and scrub.
Firefighters were at Toolakea cutting in firebreaks when a group of about six protesters began standing in front of bulldozers.
There was a report of a fire being lit at the site as part of the morning protest.
Police were called to The Esplanade at Toolakea as tensions flared.
A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said firefighters had been moving timber at the site when the protests began about 10am.
She said one person was still on scene talking to police about 10.40am.
One woman was charged and ordered to appear at Townsville Magistrate Court on July 10.
Mr Gage said the firebreaks were ordered by another landowner but performed by the Rural Fire Service.
The RFS could not comment as it was now a police matter.