Residents concerned over herbicide spray use to ‘cost cut’

Residents at Davistown are alarmed that Central Coast Council has taken to spraying around trees and benches on the waterfront with a herbicide, in lieu of the usual practice of whipper snippering, in what is believed to be a cost-cutting measure.

Resident Roz Bailey, who is President of the Green Point and District Garden Club and has worked in the nursery industry, said many of the area’s 65-year-old trees, some of which are even older, were recently sprayed with what she assumes is Glyphosate or something similar.

“(These herbicides) are systemic, going into the system of the plant, and are known carcinogens,” she said.

“No signage was placed about and I watched people walk their dogs, and families in these areas, moments after spraying.

“This was done just before Australia Day and has not been the practice of Council until now.

“Our concerns are that continuing this practice will be detrimental to the health of these very old established trees and whether continued use will leach into our waterway where fishing is a massive pass-time.

“High tides are common here and leaching in these sandy soils a reality.

“Weed spraying on even low wind days will cause spray drift and any gardener worth their salt will tell you that eventually weeds become resistant with continued spraying, which becomes a whole other problem.

“Council has told us (the spraying) is safe and will not harm the trees, however there is much evidence that disagrees and an independent qualified IACA consulting arborist needs to be involved.

“I have sent photos and an email to an IACA member and await a response.”

Bailey said three of the area’s special trees – a Morton Bay Fig known as the Wedding Tree and two Norfolk Pines, known at the Twin Pines – which were recognised as Significant Trees in 1988, were not sprayed.

“However, the playground car park, rocks and bollards, toilet block and trees were sprayed – (areas where) multiple children, pets and adults walk barefoot,” she said.

“This leads me to rationalise that the Council is well aware of the effects of this type of weed spraying and has stayed clear of these three areas, so it seems some double standards and cost cutting is at play here.”

Bailey said many locals were shocked by the spraying.

“Saratoga and Davistown residents are also now having to pick up the slack mowing and whipper snipping areas in high use by the public as Council seem to have pushed these chores further down the list of cutbacks and necessities,” she said.

Davistown Progress Association President, Jenny McCulla, said residents were very concerned about any poisons being sprayed around.

“There seems to be a diminishing number of native birds and I don’t want anything else to add to that,” she said.

“With roots of trees being sprayed there are concerns they will eventually die.”

A Council spokesperson confirmed steps towards financial recovery have included a review of daily operations and a reduction of staff resources.

“As a result, Council has prioritised mowing work in order of: safety (roadsides); playability (sportsgrounds); usability (parks/playgrounds); and amenity (sports surrounds, reserves, roadsides and centre medians),” the spokesperson said.

“We are currently in an extremely high growth period, and with staff levels impacted by COVID and a number of machinery failures, the level of service provided has been impacted.

“It is the aim to return back to schedule as soon as possible.

“In relation to the increased use of herbicide in the area, this has been implemented as brush cutting is resource intensive and spraying allows the current frequency of servicing to be maintained with reduced resources.

“Spraying already occurs across the Central Coast and has been used for many years in the former Wyong Shire.

“Warning signs are not required when spraying small amounts of pesticides available at retail stores.

“Council has notified residents directly of this approach, while further information on the use of herbicides can be found in the Central Coast Council Pesticide Use Notification Plan and on Council’s website.”

Terry Collins