Blame targets vandals Shaken by island palm fall

VANDALS have been blamed for causing a 3m coconut tree to crash on to the busy Radical Bay foreshore, narrowly missing beachgoers.

Magnetic Island resident Mary Vernon was at Radical Bay on Sunday morning when she heard an “almighty crash” that caused the ground to shake when a large, “fully loaded” coconut tree fell across the main access path to the beach.

She said unsuspecting beachgoers were left shocked after the tree crashed and narrowly missed children and a car.

On closer inspection it appeared someone had cut a wedge out of the trunk and left it to fall, leaving it unstable.

Ms Vernon pointed the finger at vandals.

“I can’t imagine who would do such a thing, it’s incomprehensible to me,” she said.

Ms Vernon said just 20m away there was another tree of the same size that had the same cut, but it appeared older as the fronds were dead.

A Queensland Police Service spokesman confirmed they had been informed of a number of coconut trees at Radical Bay that had wedges cut out of them.

“Townsville City Council own the land and trees and police have subsequently been informed,” a spokesman said.

“At this time no formal complaint from TCC has been received, therefore no formal investigation has been initiated.”

Ms Vernon said it looked like a saw, or a chainsaw, had cut the trees.

“I can’t imagine who would do it and why, what their thinking was, and what their eventual intention is,” she said.

“Are they just going to keep setting booby traps all over the island or was it just Radical Bay? Who knows.”

Ms Vernon said if it was someone who wanted the tree removed they would have just cut it down entirely.

With the Beer Can Regatta on the same day, it meant there was a smaller crowd than usual at the beach.

“Luckily there weren’t as many people as usual; there were probably only about 30,” she said.

“Normally on Sunday you would expect to see 80 or 100 (people).”

There was some dispute as to whether the tree was on council or privately owned land.

The Townsville City Council said it was looking into the matter, while nearby landowner Graeme Juniper was unaware of the incident.