Killer tree outcry prompts council emergency meeting – but they are powerless to compel property owners to act

Annette Willis fears the dead gum tree overhanging her property could fall at any time. Now two recent deaths from falling branches have forced councils to act.

Annette Willis at her Millswood home where she says a neighbour’s dead lemon-scented gum tree is threatening to damage her studio. Picture: Dean Martin

The deaths of two people killed by falling trees within the past month have sparked a mass movement calling for councils to take immediate action.

The state’s peak council group, the Local Government Association, will call an emergency meeting to discuss tree management for councils across the state, next month.

Environmental and legal experts will be invited to attend, as councils face pressure to do more to prevent tragedies such as the deaths of Wayne Couch, killed while he sat under the pergola at his Surrey Downs home on Saturday, and Judy Ditter, whose car was struck by a falling tree limb in the Adelaide Hills last month.

The announcement also came in the same week a large gum tree dropped a limb on a parked car on South Tce in the city, crushing the front of the car and leaving a woman injured.

Artist Annette Willis, 64, of Millswood, said she feared for her life due to a dead gum tree, which has dropped three branches and overhangs her studio.

Ms Willis said the lemon-scented gum tree from a neighbouring property died in 2017, and affected her mental and physical health daily.

“It’s just outrageous. I’ve got to live with this. It can fall on my studio and kill me at any time,” Ms Willis said.

Ms Willis’ neighbour declined to comment.

LGA president Angela Evans said the deaths had caused “considerable concern in our communities”.

“My thoughts are with the families, friends and neighbours impacted by these terrible events,” Ms Evans said.

“Metropolitan councils already have a range of programs in place to assess, monitor and maintain trees on council land.

“The roundtable will be an opportunity to share information about these programs, hear from the experts in tree management, and explore the relationship between the management of trees and the State Government’s target to increase metropolitan tree cover by 20 per cent by 2045.”

Under current laws, councils have no power to compel ratepayers to do anything about potentially dangerous trees on private land, unless they pose a danger to public land.

HAVE YOU FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO GET ACTION ON A DANGEROUS TREE IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD? SEND INFORMATION AND PHOTOS TO [e-mail]