By Callum Ludwig
A speaker has brought Yarra Ranges Council’s attention back to The Warburton Tree, claiming that it is dying and in need of care.
Cadi-Lee Beach attended the meeting to raise her concerns.
Ms Beach said the Warburton Tree is in dire need of help and sustainable outcomes for future generations.
“I have been nothing but perplexed and disillusioned by the lack of response, by the fact that I have absolutely, as have many of my friends, community members that I’ve met through the coming together in community for a common cause that we see as pivotal,” she said.
“People don’t want to be accountable for their own paper trail, they don’t want to stand up, they don’t want to take action in a timely manner because the essence of the Warburton Tree is that it is dying and we have a duty of care to act in a timely manner,”
“I’m exceptionally passionate about this and I’m sorry that my delivery of care comes from a place of complete and utter frustration at a system that is not working for a vulnerable member in our community which happens to be a tree.”
Ms Beach is also involved in hosting a smoking ceremony at the Warburton Tree on Thursday 25 July.
Director of Built Environment and Infrastructure at Yarra Ranges Council Hjalmar Phillip said council actions regarding the Warburton Tree last year were undertaken for public safety.
“Council acknowledges and respects that some trees and locations have special significance to members of the community and support the different ways in which members of the community may recognise or connect with these spaces,” he said.
“This has been achieved through current arrangements at the site and through expert advice on how best to support the tree, its focus has been on supporting soil health and again with current arrangements in place, the expert advice supports that and the tree is currently subject to the monitoring program as all trees in public spaces are.”
Ms Beach also claimed that the Royal Botanic Gardens offered to give specialist assistance to the tree but Mr Phillip said Yarra Ranges Council had received no offer.
Streeton Ward Councillor Andrew Fullagar said perhaps Yarra Ranges Council could invite Royal Botanic Gardens experts to the site.
“I’m very much aware that the tree is of significance to Warburton and perhaps more than some other people might think so I hear you,” he said.
“Every tree has its own lifetime, but we want to preserve it as long as we can.”
While the Warburton Tree was part of the discussion, Ms Beach also expressed her frustrations at the lack of responses to her email correspondence from councillors, a sentiment that Cr Andrew Fullagar and Mayor Sophie Todorov echoed the importance of improving.
“It’s really really frustrating when you put your heart and soul into understanding frameworks, understanding the acts and all you get is an automated response,” Ms Beach said.
“It’s not that hard to sit there and write a five-minute or two-minute response that’s personalized because then it gives us hope and also a level of respect.”
O’Shannassy Ward Councillor Jim Child asked Mr Phillip for an update on the health of the tree, who confirmed that Council specialists had taken a look at the tree.
“There’s dieback on the northern stems but the rest of the tree appears to be in reasonable health, the south and the eastern branches have good leaf coverage,” he said.
“The overall assessment is our experts don’t consider it to be dying full stop.”
