Owner of tree troubling ex-news anchor Bill McDonald reveals green ideals

The Brisbane owner of a backyard tree that sparked a long stoush with a celebrity neighbour says she never contemplated cutting it down.

THE owner of a view-blocking tree in Brisbane says she never ever contemplated cutting it down during her long stoush with a celebrity neighbour.

Windsor neighbours Tabitha Pendlebury and former news anchor Bill McDonald had been at loggerheads over the 30m eucalyptus grandis for two years.

The matter finally ended in compulsory mediation by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal which ordered “hazard reduction pruning” in May.

Tabitha Pendlebury has had her giant tree trimmed following a two-year battle with neighbour Bill McDonald who wanted it removed following his claims the tree was dangerous

That happened last week with Ms Pendlebury cautiously hoping it’s the end of the matter.

“It’s very time consuming, I had to take time off work,” she said of the QCAT process.

“To me the flaw (in the process) is the trees are an unfortunate pawn in process.

“Bill’s probably still not happy.”

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

McDonald was reticent to be drawn on the subject yesterday but said everything “is fine” when approached by The Courier-Mail yesterday.

The former Seven newsreader had wanted the tree removed, believing it was a danger to his young son.

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

McDonald said a 7m-long branch had fallen near his son James, 8, whose cubby house sits underneath the tree.

Bill McDonald said a 7m-long branch had fallen near his son James, 8, whose cubby house sits underneath the tree. Picture: AAP Image/Richard Gosling

Tabitha Pendlebury has had her giant tree trimmed. The arborist’s report determined the tree should be retained and maintained by an arborist every 18-months. Picture: AAP Image/Richard Gosling

Ms Pendlebury pointed out that the cubby, currently cordoned off, was put there by McDonald after he moved in around October 2016. The branch that fell was caught by the canopy of another tree, she said.

She believed the real reason he wanted the gum removed was because it impeded his city views, a claim McDonald denies. Ms Pendlebury said she sought out a vegetation protection order for after the McDonalds approached her about pruning it.

The view from Bill Mcdonald's before the tree was trimmed.

“It’s been there longer than I’ve been alive, what right do I have to remove it,” she said. “We’ve got a six-year-old daughter (‘awkwardly’ on good terms with James) but it’s not a safety risk … even the arborist said the tree is super healthy.”

The arborist’s report determined the tree should be retained and maintained by an arborist every 18-months.