Removal of heritage elms postponed
The single golden elm on Queen St was adorned with yellow caution tape and a sign reading ‘save me’ on Friday in protest of its impending removal - scheduled for Sunday.
However, later that day, Baw Baw Shire announced the removal of four Dutch elms and one golden elm had been postponed “following a final review of the heritage overlay conditions affect the trees”.
Baw Baw Shire community infrastructure director Cohen Van der Velde said the postponement related to heritage overlay conditions.
“A final review revealed that further planning assessment would be needed before the works may proceed. The decision is unrelated to anything else,” he said.
The works are postponed until further notice. Earlier this month council announced plans to remove the iconic row of elm trees, of which two had been earmarked as a public safety risk and the other two faced the same fate.
Members of Friends of Warragul Trees set up the caution tape and sign early Friday and Baw Baw Shire Citizens Ratepayers Association secretary Kerry Elliot read a statement on behalf of groups opposed to the tree’s removal.
The protest was initiated by a number of community members who had been vocal since the tree removal plans were announced.
The group decorating the tree on Friday morning said they hoped the demonstration would draw the attention of passers-by, many of whom might have not been aware of the plans to remove the trees.
They said they understood the removal of two Dutch elms due to public safety risk, but did not support removal of the 20-year-old golden elm simply because it was not deemed as fitting with the streetscape.
“This tree’s life of 20 years will be killed because it is in the wrong place,” Ms Elliot said.
“Twenty years ago it was planted because one of these Dutch elms died, it was supposed to be a Dutch elm, but it turned out to be a golden elm. “Hug this tree for it will be dead when the chainsaws start on Sunday,” she said.
Council announced its plans to remove the trees after officers considered a report from an independent arborist to assess their health and condition.
Shire infrastructure maintenance manager Will Cheatley said the arborist found decay in two of the four Dutch elms, and the other two had a lifespan of three to five years.
He said the golden elm did not align with the current streetscape species.
Council plans to replace the trees with Chinese elms as part of the council’s 2022-23 street tree planting program.