Plea on tree- An old red river gum is being removed in Hampton Park, much to the dismay of res

By Bridget Brady
A 200-year-old red river gum nominated for preservation in Hampton Park will be removed before it can make the council’s list.
Resident Alan Sandford says history is being destroyed as the tree, believed to be about 200 years old, is cut down on the corner of Fordholm Road and Jeffrey Street.
Mr Sandford said he was shocked on the weekend to discover his neighbour had decided to start removing the river gum on their property.
Mr Sandford said red river gums were a part of Hampton Park’s history, and it was a “terrible shame” to see it being removed.
“The area used to be filled with these big gums. It’s a very old tree. There are not many big trees of that calibre,” Mr Sandford said.
He said local Aboriginal elders were saddened to hear the tree may be removed.
But the owner of the property, Kim Sun, said that while she did not want to upset anyone, she had done everything by the book and thought the tree was a danger to her family.
The tree has been nominated for inclusion on Casey Council’s significant trees registry, but at the moment it is not covered by the Casey Planning Scheme.
Casey’s acting manager of planning Michael Pollard said there were a range of controls that applied to the removal of native vegetation in Casey, but none applied to the tree in question.
Casey Council sent a letter to Ms Sun last month informing her she did not need a permit to remove native vegetation on land less than 0.4 hectares.
“I’m legally able to remove this tree. I’ve been doing my homework,” Ms Sun said.
“I’m just too scared for the safety of my babies. I love the tree but I also have to consider my safety as well.”
But Mr Sandford said it was not just the tree that would be removed from Hampton Park, but also the plethora of bird life that inhabited the river gum.
“Once they go out of this area, they don’t come back,” Mr Sandford said.
The long-time Hampton Park resident said more needed to be done to protect the trees that were a characteristic of the town – and quickly.
Mr Sandford noticed part of the tree was coming down on Sunday when he heard works being carried out. “I said, you’re kidding me.”
When word spread in the street that the tree was being removed, residents stuck ‘save the tree’ posters up on Ms Sun’s fence. “The whole street was in shock,” Mr Sandford said.
Ms Sun said about half of the tree had been cut down, and the rest would be removed in the next few weeks. “Maybe I’m selfish … but it’s my safety.”