Gympie councillors reveal their stance on fate of Mary St trees

The controversial impending execution of two ‘iconic’ Mary St leopard trees has sparked community backlash amid concerns from at least one corner that transparency on the matter was nowhere to be seen.

The impending controversial removal of two “iconic” leopard trees on Mary St has been backed by the bulk of Gympie’s councillors, although one says transparency has been nowhere to be seen around the decision.

The decision to dig up the trees on health and safety grounds has been met with backlash from some members of the Mary St business community.

Chamber of Commerce president Tony Goodman had called for the removal, scheduled to happen by the end of the month, to be put on hold so options other than execution could be explored.

Councillor Bob Fredman agreed a spectrum of options might exist between chopping them down and saving them.

Those options had never been put to councillors though, as the trees’ fate was in the hands of council staff.

“We’ve had no say in the matter,” Mr Fredman said.

“It’s been determined by others as the trees are an operational issue.”

Cr Bob Fredman said he did not have enough information about the trees to make a decision as no report outlining the reasons for their removal, and other options available, had been presented to councillors.

Previous councils had found the trees to be a problem, Mr Fredman said, but in the ensuing years they had grown to become an “icon” of the street.

There needed to be a new report taking this into account, he said.

“I want to see a professional report on why those two (trees), what the options are and what the costs are of those different options,” he said.

“I’ll make a decision once I’ve got a lot more information.”

Councillor Dan Stewart said he did not know the specifics about the two trees in question but there was no denying the council needed to have a decade-long replacement plan for the street.

The council needed to have a 10-year plan to replace the street’s trees in place, Cr Dan Stewart said.

“There are issued with the pods and leaves,” Mr Stewart said.

“Some trees do appear to be dying and are causing problems.”

Councillors Jess Milne and Warren Polley each supported the decision, but it was not the only factor to be considered.

Cr Jess Milne said she respected and trusted the staff’s decision, but the replacement trees had to ensure the street retained its atmosphere.

Ms Milne said the choice raised questions about the safety of similar trees on the street and the main street’s aesthetic in the future.

“How are we going to retain it?” Ms Milne said.

Cr Warren Polley said the trees did not work in the street’s environment and “have got to go”.

Mr Polley said the staff’s decision was no different to any others they made around liability, which councillors expected to be fixed as a priority.

The remaining councillors backed the staff’s choice.

Division 4 cr Bruce Devereaux said the trees “need to go” but the full replacement had to happen over several years, while Cr Dolly Jensen said she had fielded calls from residents with wheelchairs and walkers concerned about the tree’s safety on the street.

Cr Shane Waldock said he had dealt with businesses forced to pay for damage caused by the trees.

He said ratepayers would be left footing an even larger bill in the future if the replacement was not done now.

Deputy mayor Hilary Smerdon said the trees were “creating damage and trouble with pedestrians”.

“I think we can find something to replace them … our staff will be well on to it by now,” Mr Smerdon said.

Deputy mayor Hilary Smerdon said the trees were causing damage and the council’s staff would find suitable replacements to keep Mary St’s feel.

“I’m sure we’ve got staff capable of making the decisions necessary.”

Mayor Glen Hartwig last week doubled down on the council’s decision, saying a long-term replacement plan was necessary.