Trees: it’s war!

By Tania Martin
GEMBROOK RSL sub-branch members have vowed to fight for the survival of the town’s avenue of honour.
The avenue consists of 27 trees planted in Redwood Road in 1947 to honour diggers who enlisted in Gembrook.
Concerns over the avenue’s future were raised at a forum held at the RSL clubrooms on Sunday morning.
The meeting was organised after the RSL was mistakenly sent a copy of an arborist report that was commissioned by the Shire of Cardinia.
Sub-branch president Tony Borg said it was very concerning that the RSL had been bypassed in the reporting process.
The council commissioned the report last year after a representative from the township committee raised concerns over the health of some of the trees in the avenue.
But despite being kept in the dark, Mr Borg said it was great to now see the council was cooperating with the RSL and taking the time to explain the implications of the report.
The report reveals that the avenue is in poor condition because of bad pruning practices and neglect.
In his report arborist Roger Greenwood said that the avenue fell well short of the effect that a well-planted and maintained avenue could create.
He said an avenue of honour should create an archway of trees but that was not the case in Gembrook.
Mr Greenwood said the avenue would only decline further unless something was done to rectify some of the problems.
Despite expecting the trees to survive another 30 to 40 years, Mr Greenwood suggested that a new avenue of honour be planted near the existing one.
But RSL members fear this is being suggested only to aid nearby developments in Redwood Road.
They say the avenue of honour is jeopardised by nearby sub-divisions that at this stage have no access roads because they are blocked by the trees in the avenue.
Ranges Ward councillor Graeme Legge denied that development issues had anything to do with the future of the avenue.
“There is no connection or relevance whatsoever,” he said.
But RSL members still question the motives behind the report.
One member, John Radocas, asked why, if the trees would live for another 30 to 40 years, the issue was being discussed now.
But Mr Greenwood said it took that long for trees to mature. If something was to be done it needed to be done now.
The vice-president of the Casey-Cardinia branch of the National Trust, Rob Aldersea, said it was up to the RSL members to make their voices heard.
“It’s up to you to stand up and make some noise about this and make them (the council) listen,” he said.
The RSL’s Mr Borg said that although no decision had been made about the avenue it was up to the RSL to do its best to fight against the avenue being moved. A steering committee would now be set up to campaign against the avenue being moved.
The council will hold a town meeting over the next few months to discuss the report with the wider community.