Cars wrecked by fall

A TREE identified as dangerous by nearby residents was knocked over by Wooli’s mini tornado, causing it to crash onto two cars, rendering them worthless.

A TREE identified as dangerous by nearby residents was knocked over by Wooli’s mini tornado, causing it to crash onto two cars, rendering them worthless.

To make matters worse, it is now unclear who will foot the bill for the loss.

Couple Aaron Godwin and Britteny Desvaux lost their Mitsubishi Magna and Keith Grant had his Ford Falcon written-off after the huge paperbark came down on the cars in last Tuesday’s storm.

The tree, which was growing on the median strip outside their homes, had sparked complaints to the Clarence Valley Council in June last year and in May, but no action was taken, Ms Desvaux said.

That was until it took a day to chop and clear it away on Wednesday, Mr Grant said.

On the day of the accident, local crews from the power company and the council gave conflicting advice on who was liable for the damage caused by the tree.

Each of the owners’ car insurance companies also advised them they were not covered for the damage.

“We then went into the council on Friday and at first they said they were not covered for natural disaster events,” Mr Grant said.

“Then we told them we had complained about the tree, and then they told us they would have to think about it.”

Not knowing if they would be compensated for the loss of their cars came as a real blow to each of the owners, who consider the vehicles to be among their most valuable assets.

The events came at a particularly bad time, as Mr Godwin and Ms Desvaux have to move house this week and Mr Grant was planning to sell his car so he could travel overseas to visit his daughter.

Clarence Valley Council’s open space co-ordinator Cheyne Willebrands was not available for comment.

Originally published as Cars wrecked by fall