Norwood, Payneham & St Peters Council votes against the removal of almost 700 Queensland box trees

Almost 700 Queensland box trees have been spared the axe in Norwood after the local council rejected a controversial move to remove them over a two-year period.

• Council street trees face the axe after being identified as ‘high-risk’
• About 5000 Queensland box trees may be removed
• Council employs ‘footpath co-ordinator’ to eliminate trip hazards

Almost 700 Queensland box trees have been spared the axe, after Norwood, Payneham & St Peters Council rejected a controversial move to remove them over a two-year period.

In a heated debate last week, NP&SP councillors voted 8:4 against the removal of 691 trees from high-risk areas – near aged care homes and retirement villages – under a plan two councillors described as “slaughter”.

It would have cost ratepayers more than $500,000 to remove and replace the trees, which drop seed pods that, some councillors believe, create a slip hazard for elderly residents.

A Queensland box tree on Taylor St, Norwood.

Instead, the council will identify unhealthy and poorly shaped Queensland box trees for possible removal.

Mayor Robert Bria said the original push for the wholesale removal of the tress – backed by councillors Kevin Duke, Scott Sims, John Minney and Mike Stock – was “knee-jerk” and “politically lazy”.

“Removing 691 Queensland box trees would have destroyed the streetscapes and amenity of a number of neighbourhoods,” Mr Bria said.

“The council would have been condemned for such a reckless act and our reputation would have been damaged beyond repair

“We don’t want to see risk as something to be avoided at all costs. It’s (this suggestion) is saying we have no solutions. It’s crazy stuff.”

Cr Carlo Dottore said he could not support the “slaughter of 700 trees”.

“I’m shocked and embarrassed (by this motion),” Cr Dottore said.

“It’s not an appropriate motion. I can’t believe we’d even put this together.

“It’s against our aspiration to green our suburbs.”

Norwood, Payneham and St Peters councillor Sue Whitington, and former councillor Paul Wormald, with some of the seed pods from a Queensland box tree. Picture: AAP/Brenton Edwards)

Cr Christel Mex said the council could not “dismantle an entire city” due to a “bit of risk” and it should not overreact to a small number of complaints.

Last year, there were just five complaints to the council about dropped seed pods.

“We need to get over our risk aversion. People want more street sweeping,” Cr Mex said.

Also voting against the “wholesale slaughter” of Queensland box, Cr Evonne Moore said the trees were dropping pods due to a lack of watering.

She questioned Cr Duke’s assertion that elderly residents had slipped on seed pods and hurt themselves.

“He has not provided any hard evidence, only anecdotal evidence” Cr Moore said.

The Eastern Courier Messenger revealed in August the council’s proposal to remove about 5000 Queensland Box trees due to slipping concerns.

Cr Duke – who once described walking on seeds pods as “akin to walking on ball bearings” – was visibly upset the council was not protecting the elderly.

“You either put trees first or you put people first,” Cr Duke said.

“It has to be people first.

“It’s about the risk factor … especially for older people. Nobody likes pulling trees out … but it’s a reasonable proposal.

“We have to take them out to minimise the risk factor.”

The council’s arborist, Matthew Cole, said Queensland box trees were not popular with some residents.

“The most common comment I get is, I love trees, just not that one,” Mr Cole said.

The council also voted to increase the sweeping of footpaths in suburbs which had Queensland box trees – once every four weeks in high-risk areas, every eight weeks in medium-risk locations and every 12 weeks in low-risk areas.

Queensland box trees have not been planted in the district for more than 10 years.