Six years ago, Castlemaine resident Hilary Finch bought a small red-flowering gum to replace a dead tree on her nature strip.
She lovingly tended the tree, watering its roots regularly during the hot summer months and ensuring its survival in dense soil. The beautiful native, while small, is thriving.
The street in which Hilary lives is a beautiful bushy area with a unique array of trees, shrubs, plants and even a small veggie garden along the roads edge.
Hilary, and presumably her neighbours, recently received a letter from Mount Alexander Shire Council advising them about a tree works program due to commence over the next few weeks.
A number of plants and trees (mostly wild growing wattle) along the road have now been tagged with fluorescent yellow dots, indicating their imminent demise and to Hilary’s horror, her beautiful gum tree also bears the mark of death.
Certain there must have been some sort of mistake, Hilary contacted the council and was informed that permits were required to plant on nature strips and her tree would not be approved as the gum nuts posed a tripping hazard.
Hilary told the Express that her red-flowering gum, which would take many years to reach maturity, was nowhere near a footpath.
“And since when did gum nuts become a tripping hazard!” Hilary asked.
“There are red flowering gums all over Victoria and they are beautiful.
“We live in a beautiful area and value our native trees and wildlife. People love individualising their gardens and verges,” she said.
“This is the apex of bureaucratic madness!”
A council spokesperson confirmed that pruning works on Doveton Street would be under way in the coming weeks as part of council’s annual tree maintenance program and aimed to improve tree health and public safety.
“Doveton Street has been identified as a priority area for improvement, with upcoming works including the removal of dead wood, and pruning to allow appropriate clearances from roads, footpaths, street lights and signs,” the spokesperson said.
“We do not remove healthy vegetation unless it poses a safety issue, site obstruction, or affects the flow of vehicular or foot traffic.
“Unfortunately a planted gum tree located on a nature strip on Doveton Street needs to be removed due to concerns around pedestrian safety.
“The council has provided advice to the resident that the tree could be relocated onto the resident’s private property while it is still young, and able to be moved.”
Council encourages residents who are considering planting trees and shrubs within the nature strip or other sites within the road reserve or park to read the policy, and if necessary, contact the council for further information.
