Char Restaurant to chop down tree

A prominent tree at one of Darwin’s most exclusive restaurants will be cut down.

THE general manager of two leading Darwin restaurants has apologised in advance for having to lop a landmark CBD tree.

Char and The Darwin Club manager Matthew Isabella said if he didn’t chop the famous raintree in the Admiralty House grounds he would be forced to close the business and sack 42 hospitality staff.

“We didn’t want to do this. This was the last thing we ever wanted to do,” he said.

“We started encountering issues at the start of last year with the tree’s roots interfering with the plumbing works, drainage in the kitchen and it’s starting to crack the floor in the restaurant.”

Over the past few months he has been consulting with neighbours and other interested parties and knows lopping the tree will be unpopular with some.

Char owners will cut down an old tree that is causing the restaurant floors to crack. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

“Either way I’m rooted,” he said.

“I’d love to keep the tree but it will destroy the building. It just isn’t sustainable.”

An engineer’s report by local company GHD identified cracks to the building were caused by the tree’s roots and an arboreal report by Arafura Tree Services recommended removal of the raintree as “the only safe and effective recommended measure”.

Mr Isabella conducted a number of meetings with concerned citizens including at the Buff Club, Casuarina Library and Coffee Club.

“I want the people who know this tree to understand this is a last resort,” he said.

“Aside from splitting the concrete floor it’s blocking the grease trap lines, the drainage lines and the septic tank lines as well. It’s the apocalypse.”

It will take three days and cost $22,000 to remove the tree and an additional $150,000 to repair the plumbing. The tree bits will go to Casuarina Men’s Shed.