Mosman residents stuck with allergy-causing Norfolk Hibiscus trees in backyards

THE FIGHT to eradicate an irritating tree which has been compared to asbestos by Mosman’s deputy mayor has been put on hold.

Mosman Councillor Roy Bendall would like to see the Cow Itch tree eradicated from the area.

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THE FIGHT to eradicate an irritating tree which has been compared to asbestos by Mosman’s deputy mayor has been put on hold.

Councillor Roy Bendall has been pushing to allow residents to cut down Lagunaria patersonii, known as the Norfolk Island hibiscus or Cow Itch tree.

He said the species’ fibres can cause an allergic reaction or skin irritation. The council has been pulling the trees out and replacing them with gum trees and other native trees.

In recent weeks, he said Norfolk Island hibiscuses have been removed on council land along the foreshore and opposite Balmoral Beach Club.

But the councillor’s plans to allow residents to pull the trees up themselves, without going through “bureaucracy”, was put on hold at this month’s council meeting.

The council will now wait until after the local elections in September before debating its exempt list and noxious weeds plan to allow such changes.

Cr Bendall said the changes would have to be made as part of the Local Environmental Plan review which is due this year, and it was only fair that any new councillors could have a say.

The pods from the Norfolk Island hibiscus can cause pain or itching.

“I’d like to see them all taken out immediately,” said Cr Bendall. “We will try and have it passed through as soon as possible and I don’t think there will be much of a debate about it, but it’s only right that we go through the correct processes and allow any new councillors to have a say. In the meantime, the council is working to identify, remove and replace the trees, particularly in areas like the foreshore where children like to play.”

The councillor said the tree caused “a lot of screaming kids” at Balmoral when they stepped on the spiky seed pods while barefoot.

“They are very pretty trees that grow tall and have nice flowers, which is why so many of them were planted between 40 and 50 years ago,” he said.

“But it has come to light that they cause a respiratory type of condition — it’s almost like an asbestosis because these things get into your lungs.”

A council spokeswoman said: “Until any changes are effected, the tree will be treated like any other tree in the municipality and the normal application process will apply.”