By Mark Naglazas and Emma Young
There’s another twist in the tale of Fremantle’s now-famous Moreton Bay fig with the City of Fremantle council changing its mind on the fate of the historic tree for the second time in under a year.
Eight months ago, the council took the tree on the corner of Parry and High streets off the significant tree register, then two weeks later backflipped after a 150-person community protest made more potent by its timing during a record-breaking February heatwave.
Now, councillors at Wednesday’s meeting backflipped again and voted to allow the owners to take the tree off the list, meaning it can now be cut down.
The fig tree, which also covers a much-loved local cafe, could be demolished.Credit: Facebook
The councillors’ change of heart flew in the face of the recommendation from the City of Fremantle’s officers who recommended the tree should kept on the register because it was of major heritage value, in good health and the owners did not legally have to consent to its listing.
Property owner Pam Cattalini said the tree had cost her considerable money in roof and gutter replacements, and would cost her $10,000 a year to pay someone to clean up the yard as she was no longer prepared to do it herself.
Another member of the Cattalini family said the tree was impinging on the site’s development potential.
Councillor Fedele Camarda said the issue of consent was not settled or clear-cut.
“I don’t think it is right to force these good people to do something that they don’t want to do. Is it all worth it?” he said.
“It’s very simple, consent wasn’t given. I implore my fellow councillors to strongly consider not voting for trees that do not have the owners’ consent because the risk is not worth it.”
Fremantle activists who took part in the protests are angered by the turnaround.
“Community sentiment was loud and clear,” said Pippa Hurst of DesignFreo, the alliance of architects and design professionals who led the protest.
“We are devastated that the council has voted against the [officers’] recommendation and the clear values of the community they represent.
“The Moreton Bay fig has been a landmark for 140 years. It provides valuable biodiversity, habitat, shade, urban heat reduction, air purification and visual enjoyment. The tree’s visual, ecological, heritage and environmental benefits cannot be replicated. We are its custodians.”
A key absentee at Wednesday night’s vote was Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge, who supported Councillor Adin Lang’s fight to save the tree earlier in the year.
The fig was planted in the 1880s and is thought to be the progenitor of others in Fremantle, including the Proclamation Tree and those surrounding St John’s Church.
The cultural heritage significance of the tree and the house on the same site have been included on numerous other heritage lists, including the National Trust of Australia (1974) and the Australian Heritage Commission Register of the National Estate (1978).
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