These sugar gums are set for removal. Photo: Leeton Shire Council.
Ten mature sugar gum trees on Leeton’s Palm Avenue near Grevillea Street are set to be cut down after council signed off on their removal, following complaints from nearby residents about damage to fences and property.
Council says the trees – planted more than a century ago – have become structurally unsafe and are shedding large limbs onto surrounding areas, including a nearby bike path.
Director of Operations Silar Derby told a recent council meeting it was a tough decision.
“They were sentenced to death many years before we were here in having been locked from above,” he said.
He said the trees had grown in a way that had left them increasingly unstable.
“That means that they’ve grown up to push outwards rather than grow upwards … they’ve grown a whole lot of branches that are all of roughly the same size and none of them are able to sustain the tree properly and that crown ultimately is going to break off. Now it hasn’t, and it hasn’t killed anyone but that’s not to say it won’t in due course; it’s certainly caused damage to surrounding property.”
The trees are Eucalyptus cladocalyx – commonly known as sugar gums – and native to South Australia. They were planted in 1918 as part of Leeton’s original “garden city” design and can grow to around 35 metres tall in good conditions.
A tree advisory group recommended their removal, a decision later endorsed unanimously by councillors.
Deputy mayor Michael Kidd said the decision was not taken lightly.
“I wouldn’t say there was a tear in the eye, but it was close. We were very reluctant to do this,” he said.
He said ongoing maintenance costs, safety risks, and resident concerns all factored into the decision.
In a statement, Leeton Council said the 10 sugar gums were believed to be the last of their kind remaining in the town’s central circle.
It warned the trees had a history of structural failure.
“Council acknowledges that the potential removal of these trees … any trees removed will be replaced at a ratio of two new trees for every one removed.”
Councillor Stephen Tynan suggested council should contract an arborist for an independent assessment of the removal, and was told this would cost about $5000.
Council has confirmed a further review will be carried out and findings circulated before any final removal work begins.
