Ex-news anchor blasts council for putting trees before kids

The two-year stoush between former television newsreader Bill McDonald and his neighbour over an enormous gum tree is finally over, but not everyone is happy with the outcome.

THE two-year stoush between former TV newsreader Bill McDonald and his neighbour over a gum tree is finally over, but not everyone is happy with the outcome.

The 30m eucalyptus grandis, commonly known as the flooded gum or rose gum, which is protected by a vegetation protection order, will be inspected by an arborist within days to prepare for “hazard reduction pruning”, according to directions made by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) on May 21.

QCAT member Robert King-Scott stated in his directions that McDonald should pay 20 per cent of the costs and his neighbour, the tree’s owner Tabitha Pendlebury, paying the remainder.

The giant gum tree at the centre of the neighbourhood stoush.. Picture: Annette Dew

McDonald, a former Seven Network newsreader who now hosts the weekend breakfast program on ABC Radio, told The Courier-Mail he wanted the tree removed because it was a danger to his son James, 8, in the yard of his Windsor home in Brisbane’s inner north.

Mr McDonald said a 7m-long branch had fallen near his son in January 2017, and 12 other branches had fallen since.

“They are called widow-makers for a reason,” he said of the tree, said to be up to 80 years old.

An arborist’s report commissioned by Mr McDonald states the tree has a “propensity for sudden branch drops” which could kill or cause serious injury.

Mr McDonald said other neighbours were also worried about the tree, and the section of his yard underneath it had been cordoned off with fluorescent safety netting two years ago, and remained so to this day.

The giant gum tree that has made Bill McDonald’s son James a prisoner in his own home. Picture: Annette Dew

“Our son is not able to go down there,” he said.

He said he had initially tried to resolve the tree dispute with Ms Pendelbury without going to the tribunal, and even before he purchased the house in 2016.

“We offered to pay for the removal and to replant another mature tree,” he said.

But Mr McDonald said that he was forced to go to QCAT because Ms Pendlebury “refused to acknowledge our concerns” or enter negotiations.

“It came so close, and if it had fallen on him we wouldn't be sitting here, we would be in the coroner’s court,” Mr McDonald said he told officers from the Brisbane City Council during a mediation hearing.

He said the QCAT mediation ended up as a fight against the BCC, and not Ms Pendelbury.

“I don’t think the consideration was given to safety,” he said of the mediation.

Bill McDonald with son James, 8, at their home in Windsor. Picture: Annette Dew

“Unless a limb falls on someone, nothing happens,” he said.

“Council said chopping it down is a last case scenario,” he said.

He believes that dangerous gum trees in public parks are more likely to be taken down by the council than those on private property because of legal liability issues.

Mr McDonald and his wife Julieanne told The Courier-Mail they strongly denied any suggestion they were trying to improve their already panoramic city views.

“We love trees, we have 15 trees in our yard,” she said.

“It’s nothing to do with the view,” he said.

Mr McDonald said large trees like eucalyptus grandis belonged “out in the forest”.

“They are not suitable for high density living,” he said.

Ms Pendlebury, was unable to be contacted yesterday but she has previously said Mr McDonald’s efforts to have the tree removed began before the branch fell near his son, and she argues pruning a large portion of the gum would kill it.

A BCC spokesman said council does not trim trees on private property and the state government provides advice on resolving civil tree disputes.