By Tanya Steele
The latest Yarra Ranges Council Meeting on Tuesday 8 August has further decided the fate of the remains of the Warburton Tree.
Over 400,000 has been spent on the tree leading up to its recent pruning and the meeting was turbulent with a community and council still clearly divided over the issue.
The Council eventually voted in favour to retain what remains of the large tree to “enhance the biodiversity value of the tree and immediate surrounds.”
Yarra Ranges Mayor, Councillor Jim Child said, “Works at this tree have caused considerable community angst and I hope that this decision will now help to reunite our community.
The meeting was drawn out both by a late petition from the community and a motion from Cr Child to remove the tree completely.
Ravenna Keller spoke of the petition with 375 signatures that requested the council move the carpark from the tree in Warburton as allowed for in the Council’s own tree policy and mitigate risk to the public by creating a fenced off nature reserve instead, retaining this valuable habitat tree.
Ms Keller said the petition was originally created with a view to making a middle ground, between safety and community when the tree was still a full tree.
“A lot of these people were locals, for the character that the town has and the tree is a part of that,” she said.
Cr Child said the council couldn’t amend the petition on the fly and that it was specific in saying the car park needed to be moved.
“We have to consider this petition how it’s presented to us,” he said.
A motion was then carried unanimously to receive the late petition, note and refer it.
Nicole Fisher and Charlette Sterrett later spoke in support of the recommendation included in the arborist officer report.
Ms Fischer said she spoke on behalf of a large portion of our community in what has been a long drawn out and expensive process.
“Driving into this section of town was always met with the sheer presence of this tree – and despite its heavy reduction, I’m pleased to say that that presence still exists,” she said.
Ms Sterratt from the Yarra River Keepers associations said the tree is part of the land.
“This tree is part of us. It’s part of the Birrarung and we don’t want to see this tree die a death by 1000 cuts,” she said.
Cr Child asked several questions about the risk profile of the tree and said he wanted to know more about the fencing and how the exclusion zone around the tree would work.
The current planning level estimate is $20,000 and Director of built environment and infrastructure Hjalmar Philipp said this type of planning estimate had not been done before.
“It would involve preparing the base and putting up the fence – as detailed design goes that that may increase slightly, but that’s our planning estimate,” he said.
To address the cost to taxpayers, Cr Child said he wanted to know the current cost from the tree and Mr Philipp said the most recent sum is now up at $476,000.
Cr Child then moved a motion alternate to that printed in the agenda and said he wanted to obtain a permit to proceed with the complete removal of the tree to eliminate any associated risks.
“I believe it wasn’t a good result to leave that magnificent tree as a 10 meter stump. And with significant decay in the base of it and still propose proposing a risk to the community,” he said.
The council engaged in a discussion from both sides detailing both the risk from the remains of the tree and the benefits to the community and environment in keeping it.
Cr McAllister said she thanked the community and highlighted the very known and serious risk the tree posed.
“The community passion and voice on this has been profound,” she said.
Cr Skelton said she could see sense behind the motion but that the risk had been mitigated enough for her to be comfortable and Cr Cox said the tree was an important historical tree.
“Every tree has risk, if something were to fall it would fall inside the zone,” he said.
“I sincerely hope it has growth continuing and it provides habitat and that’s the most important thing,” Cr Heenan said.
The meeting ultimately concluded with four councillors in favour of the motion – Cr Heenan, Cr Skelton, Cr Cox and Cr Fullager and three against – Mayor Child, Cr McAllister and Cr Eastham.
“Tonight this council is making this decision, divided,” Cr Child said.
The council further released information on its website Tuesday 9 August that details plans for the tree and a 10 metre exclusion zone, with fencing and planting.
The Draft Warburton Urban Design Framework (UDF) proposes ‘an enhanced connection between Warburton Highway and the new pavilion through a defined entry forecourt’ (section 5.4 Draft Warburton UDF) and to formalise the car park which would include line-marking.
Ms Fischer and others in the community on The Warburton Tree Facebook group celebrated the result and thanked the council for their welcome at the meeting.
“It is a good outcome that meets the needs of the community,” she said.
