Fallen tree in Lalor Park sparks council warning: residents are responsible for checking their trees

BLACKTOWN Council is urging residents to check their trees after a large tree fell in a Lalor Park backyard, narrowly avoiding hitting the homeowner.

A tree fell in James Sara's Lalor Park backyard on July 22, destroying half his house. Picture: Dave Swift.

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BLACKTOWN Council is urging residents to check their trees after a large tree fell in a Lalor Park backyard, narrowly avoiding hitting the homeowner.

Trees should be regularly inspected by a qualified arborist to ensure they are safe, the council warned.

James Sara, 21, said he was just centimetres away from being crushed when a large tree crashed on to his Wheeler St house on July 22.

The fallen tree in James Sara’s Lalor Park backyard. Picture: Dave Swift.

“I was outside cooking breakfast on the barbecue. I went inside to get the eggs and it fell just I was coming back,” Mr Sara said.

“I had to jump out of the way.”

Mr Sara said the tree damaged half his house, which he purchased this year.

He said the repair bill ran into thousands of dollars.

“Ever since I left school I’ve been saving for this house,” he said.

“I didn’t go on holidays or buy flash cars.

“Then this happens. I’m devastated.”

Mr Sara said he called the council a week before the tree fell, asking for something to be done about it.

But the council said individual property owners, not the council, were responsible for trees on their land.

The council is responsible for trees on public or council-owned land.

“There is a common misconception that (the) council is responsible for all trees, which is not the case,” council’s city assets acting director Joe Buttita said.

Mr Buttita said if a landowner wanted to trim or remove a tree, council approval was needed, and there was an application form for this.

Only once the application was approved could the tree then be removed.

“If you are worried a tree might be unsafe or is causing problems, it should be reported to (the) council and arrangements can be made for it to be inspected,” he said.

“Once the tree is inspected, a determination is made. Removal, if necessary, can then be carried out.”

Mr Sara said he filled in the form and planned to lodge it with the council on July 22, but the tree fell on his house the same day.

Information on how to apply for consent to remove a tree is available by phoning the council on 9839 6000 or by visiting www.blacktown.
nsw.gov.au and searching for “tree removal”.