A council decision to plant a bunya pine tree avenue into a popular hinterland tourist town has been met with objection by some residents, with several saplings being mysteriously vandalised.
The 40 additional bunya trees were planted just before Christmas along Eumundi-Kenilworth Road at Kenilworth, from near the “designer dunny” at Isaac Moore Park to join up with the existing mature bunya pines towards the corner of Elizabeth Street.
After receiving residents’ feedback, Division 10 Councillor David Law held a meeting on May 9 at Isaac Moore Park for the community to express their concerns.
Cr Law said the tree was of great significance to the Kabi Kabi/Gubbi Gubbi people.
“Sunshine Coast Council selected the tree to create an avenue of high-value, culturally and regionally significant trees to enhance the entrance to Kenilworth town,” he said.
“A council arborist undertook on-site inspections and had discussions with First Nations people when determining species selection and planting opportunities.
“The planting is in line with council’s Street Tree Master Plan, which outlines council’s approach and commitment to not just sustaining but enhancing the region’s existing street tree canopy cover over time, by planting the right trees in the right locations, and planting more of them.”
Meeting attendee Lisa Delanoue said the main concerns raised were the lack of community consultation ahead of the planting, the tree’s dangerous and messy aspects and the lack of safe pedestrian walkways past the trees and into town.
She said many community members were not against the planting of the trees, which some believed to be a symbol of reconciliation.
Ms Delanoue said she thought it was close to a 50-50 split between those for and against the trees at the meeting.
“There’s people in town who think the bunyas are wonderful and special, and other people think they are terrible, messy and very, very dangerous,” the Moy Pocket resident said.
“We all felt that the council put a giant planting of bunya trees upon our town without us realising that was going to happen.”
She said what became evident at the meeting was the lack of safe pedestrian access over the Mary River Bridge, linking the town to the park.
“There’s a lot of people that camp in the campgrounds and that walk through that park to town and back again late at night and during all sorts of times of day,” she said.
“By the end of the meeting, we all really wanted to push for a nice, safe, accessible, formal pathway around the trees, across the bridge that connected that park and the campgrounds to the town.”
Cr Law said residents and business owners who attended the information session included a wide range of people with many points of view represented.
“I always advocate for better footpaths and active transport connections both within Division 10 and across the region,” he said.
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Resident Emilee Hunter said she was against the planting of the bunya trees.
“The bunyas on the left-hand corner turning into Kenilworth (from Eumundi-Kenilworth Road onto Elizabeth Street) cause a lot of mess with dropped branches, greenery and when the nuts drop,” she said.
“Having many of these trees will only cause an untidy mess instead of enhancing the entry to Kenilworth. The mess won’t start for a number of years when the trees mature, but why create a problem those who come later will have to deal with?
“The cost of constant cleaning up of the mess by council may or may not happen. As it is, the mess dropped by the current mature trees is merely irregularly swept into piles and not taken away.”
Cr Law said the Street Tree Master Plan meant comprehensive consultation regarding tree planting, which identified the species as suitable to the area and nominated an avenue-style planting be considered for the town’s entrance.
However, the master plan also nominates about two dozen species of trees for the area, including the river she-oak, Moreton Bay fig, kauri pine, broad-leafed apple and the bunya pine.
“Council has a crew permanently based at Kenilworth who attend this park fortnightly to complete maintenance activities,” he said.
Ms Delanoue said she noticed on April 3 that nine of the saplings planted on the northern side of Eumundi-Kenilworth Road had been cut down at the base. She reported it to council.
“When I noticed the trees were vandalised, I had to pull over on the side of the road and have a little cry. My hands were shaking because that sense of hope was just crushed and diminished with that act,” she said.
“The vandal only cut down so many trees and the council are going to replant those trees, so I’m very happy about that.
“But it is disappointing and it feels terribly shameful that our town is in so much divisiveness over this. With good communication this could have been an amazing thing and everyone would have loved them.”
Cr Law said the council took damage to the trees seriously and reported incidents to police. It is an offence to damage vegetation in this manner with a maximum penalty of $114,800.
“We welcome any information that community members may be able to provide relating to this matter,” he said.
“Council will be replacing the damaged bunya trees and the new trees will be surrounded by more substantial structures to stabilise them and provide further protection.
“Given this is a state-controlled road, I will also be raising this issue with the state MP.”
The bunya pine, or Araucaria bidwillii, has been around for 200 million years.
Barung Landcare says local lore dictated the tree should not be harmed in any way and for thousands of years prior to European settlement tribes from as far away as Victoria would travel to Queensland to celebrate the bunya harvest, until gatherings were outlawed in 1897.
To report damage to council-maintained property email mail@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au or phone 5475 7272. Alternatively, report it to Queensland Police by calling 13 14 44.
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