Residents want more action on damaged trees at Ettalong

Peninsula residents are calling on Central Coast Council to be more proactive in addressing an act of vandalism perpetrated on trees along the Ettalong foreshore.

Council was first notified of the vandalism in late July, with what looked to be drill holes reported at the base of seven native shade trees and poisoning suspected.

A spokesperson said this week that Council had completed an investigation into the damaged trees, but had been unable to identify offenders.

“Council is now considering its options in accordance with the Tree and Vegetation Vandalism Management Policy,” the spokesperson said.

“Consideration of subsequent actions also need to be assessed as to the impact on the broader community.

“Council is continuing to consider all available options in accordance with the policy and will advise its decisions when they have been finalised and approved.”

Residents are calling for more urgent action, with deterrents such as screens, signage and surveillance suggested in the Policy.

Resident Peter Mullins has suggested an effective and inexpensive response would be to have a canvas banner printed and suspended across the branches of the dead banksias.

“Basic public information is so powerful a weapon against this type of antisocial crime,” he said.

Fellow resident Gary Machin said the community was disappointed, but not surprised, to learn that no offenders had been identified.

“There were a few people in the community who expressed the opinion that the trees were in the way of a water view and impacting local commerce,” he said.

“Council’s Tree and Vegetation Vandalism Management Policy objectives include: To educate and promote the value of trees and vegetation across the Central Coast LGA and a greater understanding of the implications from damage or injury to trees and vegetation.

“The Policy states that trees and vegetation contribute significantly to environmental health, and to human health and wellbeing.”

Machin said many long-term residents who live nearby are distressed by the loss of the coastal banksias which are important habitat trees.

“Unfortunately, the damage that this vandalism has caused is hard to rectify,” he said.

“It takes many years to grow a tree to maturity to provide habitat, safe tree corridors and a healthy environment.

“The Tree and Vegetation Vandalism Management Policy states that physical deterrents to prevent vandalism such as screens, signage and surveillance could be implemented if there is a budget available for these measures.

“The Policy states that rehabilitation of vandalised sites is to be undertaken to reinstate the vegetation that has been damaged.

“If there is any risk such as dune erosion, Council will undertake immediate remedial action, cost to be covered by the offender.

“Where there is no offender, what happens then?

“Will Council act to reinstate vegetation to prevent dune erosion?

“We, as a community, should be asking this question.

“Please write to ask@centralcoast.nsw.gov.au to ask when remedial action will be taken to cover the loss of (the) mature coastal banksias.”

The Tree and Vegetation Vandalism Management Policy, adopted by Council in February 2021, encourages broader community involvement in the prevention and reporting of vandalism and assisting in the investigation following vandalism.

It reiterates that vandalism of trees and vegetation on community and public land is an unlawful activity, with the long-term management of same “integral to maintaining the economic, cultural, environmental and social values of the Council area”.

“The identification and prosecution of perpetrators of public tree or vegetation vandalism should be pursued consistently,” the Policy says.

Possible preventative measures listed in the Policy include: screens (including billboard style or shipping containers or other appropriate visual barriers) where vandalism is for views; construction of panels with shade cloth and signs identifying tree or vegetation has been vandalised; and installation of surveillance cameras and signs.

Terry Collins