Resident Shannon Price with the beloved old cypress tree in Williamstown. 71239 Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI.
By Vanessa Chircop
HOBSONS Bay City Council has received a petition with 59 signatures to save the iconic cypress tree on Bayview St in Williamstown.
As reported first by Star last week, residents were up in arms that the tree, located in the front yard of a private property, was in the process of being cut down.
The owner of the property was granted permission to remove the tree by the council after an arborist’s report deemed the tree to be “beyond saving”.
But residents were concerned the tree was only being removed to make room for units on the land.
Councillor Angela Altair said the tree was a very well-known feature of Bayview St.
“According to the report that our own arborist provided, the tree appears to have been at the end of its useful lifespan,” she said.
“It’s always a shame when a beautiful old tree that lots of people have grown up with has to come down.
“If there is anything that we can do at this late stage to perhaps save it for a few years – I think we’re duty bound to do so.”
Cr Altair also indicated that she would be calling on the council to investigate the possibility of a register for significant trees in Hobsons Bay.
“It just makes it that much harder to pull them down without very, very good reason.”
