Metro agrees to save river red gum, peppercorn trees in Flemington
A huge community fight to save trees surrounding Newmarket Station has paid off, with Metro promising to work around a century-old river red gum. And the council has ensured the other trees are safe – for now.
North West
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A heritage-listed 100-year-old river red gum at Newmarket Station will be saved, thanks to the valiant efforts of the community.
Metro and Moonee Valley Council came to an agreement on March 27 to save the tree, as well as a Peppercorn tree, after Metro had initially dubbed both a safety risk.
An elm, a pittosporum and six poplars were also on the chopping block after a Metro investigation found the trees’ roots were compromising railway tracks and walls supporting the station’s platforms and buildings.
An independent arborist report from Moonee Valley Council found the opposite.
The pittosporum tree will still be removed this week – but Metro has agreed not to touch the other trees without planning permission, unless they pose an immediately safety risk to the community.
Both the council and Metro agreed the pittosporum tree, on the eastern side of the station, had to be removed immediately for the urgent platform works to take place under the Rail Management Act.
The rebuilding of the old station platforms and retaining walls will now be conducted around the river red gum, starting this week.
Moonee Valley Mayor Samantha Byrne said she would like to thank all the community members who passionately rallied to save it.
“We look forward to enjoying the beauty and shade of ‘Big Red’ for many more years to
come,” she said.
Moonee Valley Sustainability Group founder Logan Shield said the trees were important to the community because people took their kids there to play, they provided shelter at the station and people were passionate about protecting the wildlife.
“People remember the tree from their childhood,” Mr Shield said.
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Metro chief operating officer Catherine Baxter said they listened to community feedback and were working closely with the council on plans to protect the heritage station.
“The safety of the community and our passengers remains our absolute priority,” she said.
There will be ongoing pruning and monitoring of both the river red gum and peppercorn to protect railway users and pedestrians.
Further analysis will be completed by Metro on the safety of the remaining trees on the Pin Oak Crescent side of the station.
But they will not remove them without a planning permit from council.