300-YEAR-OLD TREE FACES THE CHOP

AN award-winning, centuriesold tree could put the brakes on construction of a multibillion-dollar Melbourne road project.

The 300-year-old river red gum at suburban Bulleen was yesterday named 2019 Tree of the Year by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria). The problem is, the elderly native stands 20m tall within the construction zone of the North East Link project and Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan conceded it might have to be removed.

“This is a matter that will be considered by the independent planning process,” she told reporters yesterday. “But we will await results before making any final determination.”

The National Trust said its team would call for the tree to be retained. The gum has already survived one removal attempt, after a resident stopped it being felled to make way for a petrol station.

“This tree’s age is possibly in excess of 300 years. It is probably the oldest tree remaining of the original Bulleen Red Gum forest,” the National Trust website reads.

Picture: HAMISH BLAIR Cr Geoff Gough with 94-year-old Nevin Phillips in front of the historic red gum in Bulleen in Victoria. The tree could be uprooted to make way for a road.