Elm trees to be audited after tragic death of ‘brilliant, generous’ Melb Uni researcher Allison Milner

More than 400 trees will be inspected following the tragic death of respected academic and young mum Allison Milner, who was killed as she walked past Princes Park in Carlton on Monday morning.

The large tree fell across one of the park’s popular walking paths. Picture: Andrew Tauber

A mass audit of more than 400 elm trees will be conducted in the wake of a mother of two’s tragic death.

Already 58 trees have been inspected after a falling elm yesterday struck and killed respected academic Assoc Prof Allison Milner, 36, as she walked past Princes Park to work.

Melbourne City Council chief executive officer Justin Hanney said additional inspections would be carried out on 438 elm trees along Royal Parade this week.

They were last inspected on July 12 this year.

“If any trees show signs of potential safety risk as part of the additional inspections, they will be expertly examined by independent arborists and if required, removed immediately,’’ Mr Hanney said.

“Our priority is community safety.”

Allison Milner was one of Australia’s leading suicide prevention researchers.

Professor Allison Milner died after being crushed by a falling tree in Carlton. Picture: youtube

Melbourne City Council checks trees at least every two years to ensure they are safe.

Those in high-use locations including Royal Parade, St Kilda Rd, Victoria Parade, Fitzroy Gardens and Carlton Gardens are examined annually.

The 106-year-old elm which fell and killed Professor Milner was inspected last month with no signs it was an increased public safety risk.

“We remove and replace between 700 and 800 trees per year across the municipality for a range of reasons, including risk,’’ Mr Hanney said.

“The City of Melbourne will continue to work closely with authorities to fully assist with the investigation.”

“Everyone loved Allison”

Professor Milner, who worked at the nearby University of Melbourne, was walking through the park when the massive elm crashed down on top of her on the footpath about 8.30am.

She was taken to hospital in a critical condition but could not be saved.

Colleagues have paid tribute to a “brilliant” and “generous” woman and “loving mum”.

Professor Milner worked as a senior research fellow in the disability and health unit at the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health.

The tree fell next to Royal Parade. Picture: Andrew Tauber

The head of the school, Professor Terry Nolan, paid tribute to her and said the tragic death was “a great shock and an immense loss to the university community”.

“She will be deeply missed by all of us. She was an outstanding scholar who always strove to make a difference. Her research spanned the fields of suicide prevention, work, gender, and disability. Most importantly she was a wonderful colleague and friend. She was humble, generous, and caring,” he said.

Colleague and friend Professor Jane Pirkis told the Herald Sun: “Everyone loved Allison”.

“She was an inspirational academic who was full of enthusiasm and innovative ideas,’’ Professor Pirkis said.

“By any academic metric she was a total superstar. She published in top-notch journals, won prestigious grants, and received numerous awards. But the litmus test of a being a good researcher for her was whether her work could make a difference to people’s lives — and it undoubtedly did.”

Professor Milner’s accolades included a Victorian Health and Medical Research Fellowship two years ago — one of just three awarded statewide.

“Despite all her achievements, she was one of the most humble people you could ever meet,’’ Professor Pirkis said.

“She was a fantastic mentor and loved to see others succeed.

“She was a dynamo who did more in a day than most people do in a week, and she was quick-witted, kind and funny.”

Professor Milner volunteered to help others — serving as national academic director of charity MATES in Construction which aims to reduce suicide among construction workers.

“I considered Allison one of the brightest persons I have ever met — funny and modest but with the sharpest mind,’’ Queensland chief executive officer Jorgen Gullestrup said.

Everymind Suicide Prevention Manager Marc Bryant said Professor Milner was a key suicide prevention researcher in Australia and presented at a suicide prevention conference last month.

Fellow University of Melbourne Associate Professor Marie Bismark wrote on Twitter: “My colleague Allison Milner was a brilliant researcher, a generous colleague, and a loving mum. She led Australia’s largest study of suicide by doctors, among many other research projects which made a difference in the world. She will be deeply missed.”

Witnesses helping police at the scene. Picture: Andrew Tauber

Zero Suicide Institute director Sue Murray said Professor Milner had forged a national and international reputation for her pioneering work looking at suicide prevention in the workplace.

“The complexity of suicide is one of its greatest challenges, she opened up new areas of understanding and looked at ways of delivering programs tailored to particular groups,” Ms Murray said.

“Her work has helped to unravel some of the complexity (around suicide).”

She described her as a quiet and hardworking researcher who was well respected.

Suicide Prevention Australia chief executive Nieves Murray said she had been in touch with Professor Milner as recently as last week discussing innovation grants.

She said Professor Milner was widely admired.

“She spoke at our recent national conference in front of 670 delegates. She was very much a well loved and looked up to member in the sector,” she said.

She said the untimely end was hard to comprehend.

“Any death is a tragedy, particularly someone as young as Allison with a wonderful life ahead of her and two terrific children to raise,” she said.

“She was very active in suicide prevention and a good colleague to many in the sector. She was a passionate researcher, incredibly thorough. A few years ago she won a national award from Suicide Prevention Australia as one of the emerging researchers.”

There were some lane closures as emergency services attended the scene. Picture: Andrew Tauber

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Arborist Len McKeown said a number of factors could have caused the tree to uproot.

“You get a combination of the wind and the saturated ground and the root plate of the tree isn’t as well held in the ground,” he said.

“It’s just loosened everything up and for whatever reason at this time it’s let go.”

Angie Suryadi was killed during Friday’s wild weather when a tree fell on her ­family’s moving car on the Black Spur highway at Fernshaw.

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