Gold Coast City Councillor Pauline Young furious after vandals destroy 30-year-old pandanus in Burleigh
Tree vandals have found a new target, felling a beautiful 30-year-old pandanus on the North Burleigh foreshore, leaving the local councillor furious.
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TREE vandals have found a new target, felling a beautiful 30-year-old pandanus on the North Burleigh foreshore.
It’s another blow for Division 12 Councillor Pauline Young, who last month revealed she was forced to carry an emergency alarm after being repeatedly threatened by residents over the planting of shade trees.
“Words can’t explain how I feel,” she said.
“This is absolutely disgusting and comes on the back of new planted trees being snapped off and poisoned just 1km north of this site.
“Whoever is doing this has no moral compass and does not care about our city.
“These acts are criminal and I will continue to work with the police to try to see the offenders prosecuted.”
The blatant act is believed to have occurred early on Thursday morning, prompting Cr Young to consider placing covert CCTV cameras in the area.
“Council’s safety camera team is providing advice on this,” she said.
A replacement pandanus will be planted in coming weeks at a cost of around $10,000.
MAY 19: Councillor forced to carry emergency alarm after threats over trees
A GOLD Coast councillor has been forced to carry an emergency alarm after being repeatedly threatened by residents angered by the planting of shade trees along a beachfront street.
Residents on Marine Parade in Miami have allegedly harassed area councillor Pauline Young over the trees, which she said have been repeatedly vandalised.
The trees were initially planted in March 2021 after calls from the community for more shade along the popular strip.
Since then around 40 trees have been broken, removed or poisoned, costing ratepayers around $1100.
Council has also been advised to install covert CCTV cameras, however it would not comment publicly about whether they had been put in place.
Cr Young said she was “disgusted” by the vandalism.
“To see trees snapped off, poisoned and removed is a poor reflection on these vandals,” she said.
“A very small minority of locals have objected. Some have been absolutely vitriolic in their behaviour and I have documented all those incidents.
“There’s been quite a few residents have sent in letters of complaint saying that we’re impacting their amenity but what I’ve tried to explain is the view is owned by everybody.
“There’s been a lot of footage on social media where they’ve removed the trees, broken the roots off, removed them and poisoned them then put them back into the holes.
“They’ve removed all the netting around it and it’s just very disappointing to see ratepayers’ money being abused like that.”
Cr Young said she had been advised by police and Council to wear a duress alarm around her neck following harassment by residents while walking in the area.
“The tree-planting project is not about destroying anyone’s amenity or view,” Cr Young said.
“These trees, once mature, will only stand around three metres high and will be regularly pruned by city staff to create an umbrella-shaped canopy.
“It’s not just about the locals along Marine Parade, it’s about all of the city.”
Council initially budgeted $30,000 to plant the trees. A total 25 trees were replanted this week.
It’s not the first time there has been controversy about tree planting on the same stretch of foreshore.
A Bulletin report in 2015 found residents were preparing a multimillion-dollar class action against council for planting Norfolk Island pines without warning.
Property owners who held more than $20 million worth of land planned to seek $4 million in compensation for devaluation of their properties.
The $33,400 tree-planting project was put on hold at the time, pending discussion with then-councillor Greg Betts.
Originally published as Gold Coast City Councillor Pauline Young furious after vandals destroy 30-year-old pandanus in Burleigh
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