Hundreds of trees slashed by vandals

Incidents at Shoal Point remain unsolved

Mackay Regional Council erected three billboards to block the stolen view after someone took to about 20 trees with an axe at Blacks Beach. Picture: Campbell Gellie

AT LEAST 240 trees have been illegally damaged in two "extremely significant” cases of vegetation vandalism.

Both incidents happened at Shoal Point, one on the foreshore off Homestead Bay Ave where more than 200 trees including 150 casuarinas were trimmed back in January. The council noted there was also evidence of poisoning.

The other incident was at O'Brien Esplanade in March, where 40 trees were cut back, some to ground level. Investigations by council officers yielded no information.

Cr Karen May said at Wednesday's council meeting she was at a loss as to what else the council could do to mitigate the issue beyond enforcing their policy.

"It's very sad that we have to enforce this policy, and I can't believe that the trees can be cut down and nobody sees a thing,” she said. "It just blows you away that this sort of devastation can happen... and nobody knows anything.

"I'm not sure what else we can do as a council when we have people that are totally neglecting property that is not owned by them, that belongs to the greater community, and they're just abusing it.”

Council will plant 320 trees and is planning a working bee at Homestead Bay Ave.

MADURA MCCORMACK

Originally published as Hundreds of trees slashed by vandals