The Education Department to issue hazard alert after tree tragedy in parklands

The Education Department has told schools how to tell if they need to fast-track efforts to make their grounds safe.

The Education Department will issue a hazard alert reminding schools to inspect trees in the wake of a fatal branch fall in Adelaide’s parklands on Wednesday.

The Advertiser can also reveal a review of guidelines about how and when inspections should occur will be fast-tracked.

Schools are already required to bring in arborists to conduct annual inspections.

The department’s alert will also remind schools to act on any arborist recommendations.

Education Minister Blair Boyer said a review of the current standards for inspections “is underway and I have asked the chief executive (of the department) to prioritise finalising this work”.

“Schools undertake regular inspections of trees on their site and do so more often following extreme weather conditions like heat, wind, hail or flooding,” Mr Boyer said.

“Annual inspections by qualified arborists are also required, with the Education Department actioning all medium and high risk remediation actions.”

A was woman killed by a falling tree branch on the Adelaide Uni soccer fields on Wednesday. Picture: Brett Hartwig

On Wednesday afternoon a 22-year-old woman was killed when a native gum tree branch fell on her as she sat under the tree in the Adelaide parklands.

Paramedics attempted to revive her but she died at the scene.

Arborists were called in to secure the area.

An Adelaide City Council spokesman said an investigation was underway, and police will prepare a report for the coroner.

The incident renewed concerns held by mother Kate Harkness who had previously raised concerns about falling gum tree limbs at Westbourne Park Primary School, where her children are enrolled.

She said there had been an incident about two years ago, and another in August last year.

No one was hurt and Ms Harkness said the school had responded to her concerns but she feared a future injury, or worse.

The Education Department called in an arborist on the day of the August incident and all trees on campus were audited.

The arborist recommended pruning all trees and the removal of one – which was done by October.

Ms Harkness said the gum trees were “lovely” to look at and valued by many, but she worried about the safety of children playing underneath them.

“They’re all deemed safe in these audits but then they still drop limbs,” she said.

“I just want a safe schoolyard for my kids.”

The branch that fell from a tree and hit a woman and her four-year-old daughter in Mount Barker's Keith Stephenson Park on Sunday, January 14, 2024. Picture: Supplied.

Anna Frances-Wood was hospitalised following the branch fall. Picture: Supplied

In a separate case, Anna Frances-Wood, 29, was at a Mount Barker playground in January when a large branch fell from about 10m above and struck her, snapping her leg “like a twig”.

It also fell on her four-year-old daughter Juniper – with two large prongs of the branch miraculously landing either side of her.

Ms Frances-Wood was rushed to hospital for surgery and faces months rehabilitation, and may never recover full use of her leg.

She said Wednesday’s freak accident was more proof councils across Adelaide – and SA – needed to have more regular checks on trees, especially in hotter weather.

“I hope that more checks are ordered and some more rules come into play to force councils to do more regular checks, especially after weather changes and if trees have dropped branches recently, particularly in public spaces like parks, where it’s expected and encouraged that people will be,” she said.