{"id":358644,"date":"2025-03-19T18:24:32","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T08:24:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=358644"},"modified":"2025-03-20T21:40:28","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T11:40:28","slug":"blue-gums-to-be-cut-down","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2025\/03\/19\/blue-gums-to-be-cut-down\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Gums To Be Cut Down"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This towering stand of blue gums in Kingaroy will be cut down following Wednesday’s Council decision<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

March 19, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n

A small stand of closely planted eucalypts on the corner of Haly and Albert streets in Kingaroy will be removed and replaced with five “suitable” street trees, after a split vote in the South Burnett Regional Council on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

The 12 Eucalyptus globulus<\/em> – or blue gums – will cost Council an estimated $16,500 to remove and then stump grind, while the replacement trees will cost another $2900 plus on-costs for nurturing by Parks and Garden staff.<\/p>\n

The 12 tall trees are what is left on the small piece of public land after a eucalypt fell on January 13 during a wild storm, crushing a house on the corner of the two streets.<\/p>\n

The occupants suffered minor injuries during the incident and have since been forced to move.<\/p>\n

The owner of the building, who had allegedly previously complained to Council about fallen branches from the street trees, has been left with huge costs for repairs or demolition.<\/p>\n

After requests from him to remove the remaining trees, Council staff – including an arborist and a local tree service contractor – assessed the eucalypts and found them to be in good health.<\/p>\n

But Council staff conceded that after significant rainfall even healthy trees could fail and fall.<\/p>\n

The fate of the trees was discussed at February’s Council meeting, but Councillors voted to delay a decision at that time after a discussion suggested that removing healthy trees could set a precedent where landowners could simply request trees be removed and Council would agree and pay for it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

At Wednesday’s meeting, the debate continued, but this time behind closed doors in the confidential section of the meeting.<\/p>\n

When councillors emerged they voted 4-3 to remove the trees and replant the site.<\/p>\n

The motion to remove the trees was moved by Cr Danita Potter and seconded by Cr Deb Dennien.<\/p>\n

The councillors who voted against it were Deputy Mayor Jane Erkens, Cr Heath Sander and Cr Linda Little.<\/p>\n

Cr Erkens said a number of people in Nanango had complained to her of trees about which they were concerned.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“I’m not happy that we’re looking at taking down some trees yet others have been not taken down,” she said.<\/p>\n

The councillors then voted unanimously to develop a tree management, maintenance and planning policy to manage Council-controlled trees in future.<\/p>\n

The debate over the fate of the Kingaroy blue gums echoed a similar problem which confronted the SBRC in 2023 when the Murgon Business and Development Association sought to have a large hoop pine removed in Macalister Street, Murgon, but residents opposed its removal and experts assessed that it was safe.<\/p>\n