Council to erect huge view-blocking banner on Sydney’s Lower North Shore

An angry council is installing a huge banner to interrupt harbour views in an affluent Sydney suburb after almost 300 trees were illegally removed.

A council has begun the installation of a huge banner to interrupt harbour views on Sydney’s Lower North Shore.

Lane Cove Council said last week it had started the structure of the seven-metre-long and two-metre-high banner after more than 290 trees were illegally removed from bushland at the Woodford Bay foreshore in Longueville in November last year.

The affluent suburb offers coveted views of Sydney Harbour Bridge and glistening waters studded with yachts and motorboats.

Now that hundreds of trees have been removed, those living on waterside properties on Arabella St have unobstructed views of the iconic skyline.

The delay in erecting the view-blocking banner was because of the approvals needed, council said.

An artist's impression of the banner. Picture Lane Cove Council

An artist’s impression showed a large sign with the words: “Trees shouldn’t die for a view. 290+ trees illegally destroyed. Lane Cove stands tall against tree vandalism.”

The council said the banner will be deliberately placed to “interrupt the harbour view of the property which would most benefit from the mass clearing of the trees.”

“As the area is classified as a Threatened Ecological Community and contains some items of Aboriginal Heritage, it was important the appropriate approvals were in place before installing the signage,” Lane Cove Council said.

“Council staff have continued to monitor the health of the affected tree species, which included Eucalypts (including Angophora), Banksia and Casuarina to facilitate regeneration of the site.”

Almost 300 trees were illegally removed from the Woodford Bay foreshore in Longueville. Picture: Google Maps

The decimated landscape of the foreshore. Picture: Lane Cove Council

According to Nine News, so far, cement bags have been brought to the site, but the foundations for the banner are yet to be installed. It is expected to be finished in about two weeks.

Local residents praised the move when the artist’s impression was shared on Facebook, with some saying it was a much better punishment than a fine.

The council said it has engaged a legal team and plans to take the case to court to pursue “the strongest possible penalty”.

At the time of the tree-felling, Mayor Scott Bennison described the destruction as “outrageous” and said he was “appalled”.

“I’m sure I speak for all in our community in saying the mass destruction of trees at this scale is outrageous and the culprit needs to be prosecuted to the full extent possible,” he said.

A series of images on Reddit last week showed other Australian councils responding to tree vandalism by erecting signs where the trees once stood to block the view and shame the culprits.

Originally published as Council to erect huge view-blocking banner on Sydney’s Lower North Shore