‘Tree of Knowledge’ felled to make way for Sydney Light Rail

Crowds are starting to gather around an ancient Morton Bay fig tree dubbed the ’Tree of Knowledge’, as tree lopping crews move in.

Tree of Knowledge being cut down: montage from Twitter

Crowds gathered around an ancient co-joined Morton Bay fig adjacent to the University of NSW, that has been dubbed the ‘Tree of Knowledge’, last night with removal works starting to make way for the CBD and South East Light Rail line.

Fears the giant tree, thought to be made up multiple trees co-joined, at the corner or High St and Wansey Rd at Randwick is being cut down have been confirmed by Transport for NSW.

Last night work crews did not remove the tree completley but the massive canopy, that was as wide as the traditional Aussie quarter acre block, has been dramatically reduced. Total removal is expected to take about three days.

Tree protesters have attended High Street, Randwick in support of stopping tree's being cut down along the route of the light rail project. Pics Bill Hearne

Petra Campbell posted on Twitter: “Come now2 corner of Wansey and Hight Street Randwick (UNSW) and beep your horns. Bear witness at 150 yr tree comes down”.

Labor Cr Tony Bowen posted: “Randwick’s heritage lost to light rail”.

Isabel McIntosh posted: “Baird tree fellers at UNSW to chop 150 year old tree of knowledge tonight. Shame Baird Shame”.

Randwick's heritage lost to light rail @SouthernCourier pic.twitter.com/s8HPulFffZ

— Tony Bowen (@Tony__Bowen) July 10, 2016

Come now2 corner of Wansey and Hight Street Randwick ( UNSW) and beep your horns. Bear witness at 15o yr tree comes down2maximise profits

— Petra Campbell (@PetraAu) July 10, 2016

Breaking: Baird tree fellers at UNSW to chop 150 year old tree of knowledge tonight. Shame Baird Shame. pic.twitter.com/OVAYFtCAHT

— Isabel McIntosh (@mumdaze) July 10, 2016

Cr Matson said: “I personally had a meeting with TfNSW and UNSW in an attempt to work out a possible solution whereby the line could have been shifted to run through some adjacent university owned property on the corner of High and Wansey. The council understood that the tree was not scheduled to be removed until November and was trying to work with the Government in good fail to achieve a win for the community”

The Tree of Knowledge at cnr of Wansey & High sts being ruthlessly & needlessly chopped down @SydneysTrees #nswpol pic.twitter.com/5BO34xcYs0

— Mehreen Faruqi (@MehreenFaruqi) July 10, 2016

Shameful Act! Sydney Light Rail move in to fell 1860s historic fig despite assurances. Please RT #nswpol pic.twitter.com/baU3JCJMeL

— Saving Sydneys Trees (@SydneysTrees) July 10, 2016

In May, Ingrid Maganov, from Save Sydney’s Trees, said the 14m high tree, believed to date back to the 1860s, was slated for removal despite providing habitat for possums, a variety of birdlife and possibly microbats.