Anger after 13 trees razed
Council orders chop for safety reasons
THIRTEEN camphor laurel trees have been controversially chopped down at Malanda.
The trees were originally planted 94 years ago and made the street one of the most desirable in one of the prettiest towns on the Tablelands.
The council is removing the trees for a street redevelopment to provide more carparking and bike lanes to accommodate the growing Malanda State School and increased use of the swimming pool and Malanda showgrounds.
The council said the decision to remove the trees had not been made lightly.
“While this decision is not the outcome that some residents have been seeking, this is a balanced and responsible decision that considers all the relevant factors,” a council statement said.
Residents dispute the findings of arborist Chris Keatley that all 13 trees were weak and a danger to public safety.
Residents on site were angry and sad as the trees were removed one by one yesterday. Attempts to stop the tree removal were unsuccessful.
“Everyone on the council should have ‘Don’t Care’ tattooed across their foreheads,” angry Malanda resident Kay Falls said. “We don’t even have the voice of a local councillor to help us.”
Tablelands Regional Mayor Joe Paronella and chief executive Justin Commons were on site yesterday morning when the first trees were chopped and spoke to the angry residents.
They said the trees had all been inspected and that they could not ignore a report that found the trees to be a risk to public safety.
The council will replace the trees with rainforest trees indigenous to the Malanda area. Three species under consideration are tulip wood, blush satinash and bumpy satinash.
To have your say on the replacement, complete the survey at www.surveymonkey. com/r/marystreet.
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