Vegetation vandals strike Hay Point coast for fifth time in 5 years

A coastal community south of Mackay has been attacked for the fifth time in as many years, with trees dead or dying despite ratepayer-funded measures to repair it after earlier incidents.

An extremely significant case of vegetation vandalism at Hay Point has been described as a “blatant disrespect for the environment”.

The coastline has come under attack for the fifth time in as many years and Mackay Regional councillors want to explore options for a response beyond their current policy.

A large billboard already stands where once large trees grew before they were poisoned in previous attacks over the past five years.

The council had in recent years replanted three trees for every one killed in what is believed to be deliberate past attacks.

The latest incident, which used Metsulfuron methyl to kill five plants ranging from young she-oaks to pandanus to mature octopus bush, has been reported to the council which is expected to enact its vegetation vandalism policy once more.

Council officers investigated the site on McCarthy Street in April and found evidence of a granular herbicide at the base of the trees described as dead or dying.

A previous case of vegetation vandalism at Hay Point.

Councillor Justin Englert noted the trees had not been poisoned where signage was present.

“Does the policy allow for further signage?” he said.

He warned the vegetation was there to prevent ocean encroachment that could cost millions to fix once it reached properties.

Deputy Mayor Karen May described the event as “extremely disappointing” and a “blatant disrespect for the environment”.

She agreed with Cr Englert that the council should think beyond the policy.

Cr Martin Bella said he believed someone was trying to test the resolve of the council.

He said the council needed to display faith in their policy, but the same response would encourage them to do it again.

“We are starting from scratch again,” Cr Bella said.

The motion to enact the council’s vegetation vandalism policy carried unanimously.

An example of the billboard size the council erects after a case of vegetation vandalism at one of the council-managed land areas in the region. Picture: Mackay Regional Council

Mayor Greg Williamson said the damage was “really, really upsetting”.

“The message from council this morning is, sure, we will do what our policy says but because of the fact this has come back to council so many times now, there is a complete disregard by whoever is doing that at Hay Point,” he said.

“We revisit this all the time and when someone is wanting to do just complete vandalism and thumb their nose at council, unless we catch them there is very little we can do.

“We need to have a little bit of a think about what more we can do.”

Council documents state this case “of vegetation vandalism is classified as extremely significant in accordance with the policy”.

“It has not been possible to gather evidence proving the identity of the person responsible for the vandalism,” it read.

“Therefore, enforcement/court action is not recommended in this case, however this will be reassessed should further evidence be obtained.”

Council records show the same site was targeted in 2020, 2019, 2017 and 2016.

“The site already had small and medium-sized signage in place as a result of previous vandalism investigations and the report in 2020 resulted in the placement of billboard signage,” council documents state.

“Vegetation vandalism continues in this area with five reports now in the past five years.”

The council’s policy is to erect a billboard where the trees once stood to educate the public about the environmental harm poisoning vegetation can have on the coastline, and replanting three trees for every one cut down or poisoned.

The plants and ongoing maintenance comes at a cost of more than $2200 to ratepayers.

The policy was adopted in 2017 with minor changes in 2019 and is designed to deter and respond to the “loss of trees or vegetation arising from deliberate vandalism on council-managed land”.

The plants will not be replaced until the residual herbicide is “considered inactive”.