April 13, 2023
South Burnett Regional Council will consult the community about a request from the Murgon Business and Development Association (MBDA) to cut down a hoop pine in Macalister Street, Murgon.
Cr Kathy Duff told the Council’s most recent meeting the MBDA had expressed concerns that falling branches from the tree could pose a safety risk to the public.
An MBDA spokesperson told southburnett.com.au they had concerns if the tree toppled over in a storm, it could damage the Ancient Songbird Centre located nearby and also destroy a passing power line, potentially cutting power to the town for several days.
However, South Burnett Councillors – particularly Cr Jane Erkens – were having none of it.
Cr Erkens told the meeting she understood hoop pines could live as long as 350 years.
She thought the tree in question was at least 80 years old, and because of this it could have historic or sentimental connections with many residents.
At an earlier meeting, Cr Erkens had expressed her concern that previous “community consultations” about the removal of three fig trees from QEII Park had been a sham.
She said a small number of people had been asked leading questions, which resulted in the trees being removed as part of upgrade works in the park.
“I’m concerned about community consultation – I’ve expressed that before – (and) I’d like to know that if we are going to do community consultation, it’s definitely true consultation with the whole community and not just the business association,” Cr Erkens said.
She thought it would be better to get the general community’s feelings about the matter before bringing out the chainsaws.
Cr Kirstie Schumacher said she could not see what the problem was with the tree.
Deputy Mayor Gavin Jones said he agreed with both Cr Schumacher and Cr Erkens.
“We need true and genuine consultation, not just the people who’ve asked us,” he said.
The motion to conduct community consultation about the future of the hoop pine was carried unanimously.
A report on the outcome will be delivered at a standing committee meeting in June.
Please show a complete photo of the tree and a photo of the ground around the bottom of the tree, these trees that blew down as shown in the golf tournament in America have little root system going straight down rather it is a broadening root system which does not give strength to the size of the tree.
Also show A COMPREHENSIVE photo of the massive power lines nearby, it is also a question of who is responsible for the cleaning of the gutters on an adjacent property which are clogged up by leaves from this tree.
The gutters have been cleaned twice at great expense and are once again filled with leaves from this tree. Is council willing to install gutter guards or pay for the cleaning of these gutters caused by their tree?
The people of Murgon love trees but also realize they were planted or grew at a time when the town was a little smaller in size.
We also are offended by the comments of elected councillors representing the whole of the South Burnett Regional Council that Community Consulting carried out in Murgon was a sham.
– Leo Geraghty OAM, President Murgon Business & Development Assoc. Inc.
As requested:
https://www.southburnett.com.au/images/20230418tree.jpg
I would guess that it’s the owners of the Ancient Songbird Centre who need to clean their gutters. Really, they should’ve installed gutters with leaf guards when they built it. But the good news is that they can still do this, so no harm done there.
However, it’s a bit of a raw prawn to complain about this tree now and not at the start of their project. Didn’t they look? Didn’t they think?