Campbelltown Council drills into tree hole mystery after residents raise poison fears
CAMPBELLTOWN Council staff are “a little confused” as to who would have drilled – and corked – holes into 12 gum trees at Murray Park Reserve.
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TREES have been possibly poisoned at a popular reserve at the centre of a divisive community debate over its use as an unofficial dog park.
Residents alerted Campbelltown Council after discovering holes had been drilled - and corked - into 12 gum trees around the perimeter of Murray Park Reserve, Magill.
Council staff have inspected the trees, most of which have been drilled once or twice. One tree has four holes. All are 15 mm in diameter.
One resident, who asked not to be named, told NorthEastern Weekly she hoped the drilling was not related to a backlash from dog owners over a council decision to remove gates at the oval.
The gates were taken away in a bid to deter dog owners from using the park to exercise their pets without leashes.
The move followed complaints from residents about uncollected dog faeces and holes being dug into two soccer pitches used by clubs.
“It would be a real shame if this has anything to do with what is happening over trying to stop dog owners using the park,” she said.
“Why would trees suddenly be drilled and have corks put into them. The timing is very odd considering what’s been going on over the gates.”
Chief executive Paul Di Iulio has told elected members the practice of drilling holes in trees and corking them was regularly used by pest control companies looking for termite colonies.
“Generally after they have been inspected, the holes are plugged with a cork,” he said in a memo sent last Friday.
“Previously, residents in other locations, who have engaged pest controllers, have asked them to find the termite source, at which time council’s street trees are commonly blamed as a home of termites.”
Mr Di Iulio said random sampling and removal of corks at Murray Park Reserve had found no moisture or residue to suggest any chemical had been applied. Neither could any chemicals be smelt.
“The lack of drill wood shavings and colouration of the hole tends to suggest the action had occurred at least three to five weeks ago,” he said. “Furthermore, the cork required some effort to dislodge from the hole suggesting it had been installed some time ago.”
Mr Di Iulio said no council staff had requested the holes to be drilled into the trees.
“Therefore we are a little confused as to who would have arranged and paid for this to occur,” he said.
The discovery of the holes in the trees comes several weeks after council voted to endorse a staff decision to remove gates at four entry points to the reserve.
Dog owners and some residents protested, saying the move exposed their pets and small children to danger because they could escape unimpeded onto adjacent streets.
One family wrote emotional letters to councillors after their Schnauzer puppy was killed by a car a fortnight ago after running out of the reserve while a father was playing with his young sons.
Others have supported the decision in a council survey, with 92 people backing the removal of the gates. Those in support totalled 42.
Council has received legal advice that the decision by elected members to back their removal cannot be rescinded for procedural reasons involving an original motion.