Rumbelow & Descendants

Rumbelow & Descendants

Lone Pine

The Norfolk Island Pine tree was planted by Mr Sweetman in about 1917 when he went to live with his step daughter Mrs Ruby Rumbelow who kept the Yilki Store. He constructed a seat from bush timber and placed it in its shade. 1

In 1999 the tree was earmarked for removal by Victor Harbor council to allow for an upgrade of Franklin Parade.

16 May 2025. It was a special meeting this morning with Chris Tapscott, Tim and Mike Shannon, Susan Lake and Don and Lesley Rumbelow. 50 years ago today, a 21 year old Chris Tapscott, together with Lin Shannon, Graham Rumbelow and Dr Ken Proctor were involved in the attempted rescue of, Geoffrey Rumbelow at Encounter Bay.

Tree 'reprieve'

YILKI - The Norfolk Island pine tree outside the Yilki shops is to stay.

Victor Harbor mayor John Crompton used his casting vote on Monday night to break a voting deadlock to overturn a July decision to remove the tree to make way for an upgrade of Franklin Parade.

Cr Rae Parker, who had seconded the original motion to remove the tree, initiated a rescission motion and the subsequent decision to retain the tree and include it in plans for the upgrade of the road.

Cr Enid Sutton, who first moved for the tree's removal, believed the decision on the tree s future should now be left up to the next council as nothing would be done to the area until after Easter. "In May there will be council elections and it will probably be different councillors and I believe this decision should stay until the new council come" Cr Sutton said

"This tree is a safety hazard for when the road is redesigned I don't want to he blamed for someone's death: someone is going to be killed on that tree.'

However. Cr Tony Gelling disagreed.

"If we took that attitude we would do no business. Cr Gelling said. He said no-one had been killed since the tree was planted. Cr Alan Whittle supported Cr Buttons view that the tree is a hazard.

Those voting in favour of the trees retention were councillors Sue Johnson, Brenton Hutchison, Rae Parker, Tony Gelling and Deane Michelmore.

Cr Kave Ewens was absent from Monday night 's meeting and Cr Brenton Hutchison was not present at the time of the vote.

Sweetman link to tree

Victor Harbor's Sweetman family has a special reason to join the fight to save the Norfolk Island Pine tree outside the Yilki shops on Franklin Parade. The tree has been earmarked for removal by Victor Harbor council to allow for an upgrade of Franklin Parade.

This was despite a botanist's report that indicated the tree could live for another 50 years provided measures were taken to protect it during the road's recon struction phase.

Some weeks ago local woman Irman Springbett wrote to The Times detailing the history of the tree that was planted by Robert Thomas Sweetman who married her great aunt, Mary Hurrell in 1869. Mr Sweetman later married Mary Jane Theisinger, a Yilki widow with three children. Mr Sweetman played a significant role in the town being involved with the construction of the Victor Harbor jetty and working on the construction of many of our early roads and bridges. He served on the District Council of Encounter Bay from 1914-1926 and was a member of the local Board of Health. He held the position of council chairman from 1915-16.

Mrs Springbett understands the Norfolk Island Pine tree was planted by Mr Sweetman in about 1917 when he went to live with his step daughter Mrs Charlie Rumbelow who kept the Bluff kiosk.

"Robert watered it regularly and shielded it from strong winds." Mrs Springbett told The Times "Eventually he constructed a seat from bush timber and placed it in its shade."

Now, Doug Sweetman of Port Elliot, Robert Sweet man's grandson has come forward to enter the debate about the tree. Mr Sweetman told The Times his grand father used to sit under the tree to not only enjoy the view and the fresh air, but to also protect the tree from youths who used to use it as a shanghai target. Victor Harbor council still has a chance to save the tree from being removed, if a rescission motion is submitted to the next council meeting, due on August 23.

TREE MEMORIES - Four generations of the Sweetman family sit in front ; of the Norfolk Island Pine tree outside the Yilki shops. Pictured are Robert , Thomas Sweetman (seated), Robert Isaac. Finley and son. Ronald. The phophotograph was taken in 1930 - when the tree was already a robust specimen.

Pine tree may stay

The Norfolk Island Pine tree at Yilki could he saved Cr Ray Parker -av-she 11 he seeking, at the next meeting, to overturn Victor Harbor council's decision to remove I he t rec for t he upgrading of Franklin Parade The director of technical services. Mr Peter Bond, said the removal of the tree did not appear necessary now plans had been drawn up reducing the encroachment on t he nearbv beach and maximising parking "f see no logic to removing the landmark. It doesn't affect the road." Mr Bond said.

The road would now encroach only 2-3m at two points on either ' side of the Yilki shopping area.

Cr Enid Sutton suggested the changed design he pegged onto the beach so the public could see the extent of t he encroachment E«»r a few hundred dollars it would be worthwhile.

Cr Sutton said Cr Alan Whittle objected Last tune we pegged it out we changed our mind and it cost us go-grand. Cr Whittle said < >n Monday night the council endorsed a staging of the upgrade over four years with the final stage being from Bartel Boulevard to Harbour View Terrace, due in 2002-3. The Yilki section is now due to be constructed in 2000-1 to give continuity to the project given that work is well underway on Solwav Crescent to Battve Road. The council has decided to leave the revised drawings for the Ridgeway Street to Tabernacle Road section to "lie on the table" to give councillors more time to speak to staff about the proposed changes.

Cr Keith Loeser successfully moved that parallel parking be implemented in front of the Yilki shops before Christmas and that the general inspector present a report to council on the implementation of time limits for these spaces.

Road rethink ... again - Norfolk Island Pine to get the axe

CAROLYN JEFFREY

VICTOR HARBOR - The Norfolk Island Pine opposite the Yilki shopping precinct is to go. Victor Harbor council made

the decision on Monday night -on a vote of five to four - to remove the tree, despite receiving a report from a recognised botanist, Mr Tony Whitehill, that the tree was "worthy of retention and can survive the proposed construction work". Mr Whitehill said he believed the tree would have a life expectancy of a further "50 years or so" if the proper precautions were taken during reconstruction of Franklin Parade. Cr Enid Sutton has led the call for the tree's removal and was the instigator of the call for a botanist to assess its health. She believed the tree presented a danger to motorists and pedestrians with regard to site distance.

Cr Brenton Hutchinson asked why the council had bothered to obtain a botanist's report when it voted to go against the advice and remove the tree anyway. On Monday night the council also received a petition of 145 signatures expressing strong opposition to the council's plans to create parallel parking only on Franklin Parade from Tabernacle Road to Ridgeway Street. "Most people expressed support for the initial proposal or similar plan to deviate the dangerous through-road away from the Yilki Local Centre with angle parking close to teh shops and public facilities so that no-one risks crossing the road," the petition stated. The council debated at length, again, the pros and cons of having parallel parking only on both sides of Franklin Parade.

A previous decision, of June 28, was further clarified to indicate that parallel parking was only intended to be provided on Franklin Parade between Tabernacle Road and Ridgeway Street. Other forms of parking could be considered for other sections of the route. Despite almost a month having lapsed since the decision, another attempt is expected to be made to change the council's decision on parking options for the upgraded road. Cr Tony Gelling has indicated he'll be submitting a rescission motion to the next meeting of council with a view to changing the proposed parking configuration. Cr Deane Michelmore has indicated he'll be one of the councillors to support the change. "I am concerned about the gravity of the issue," Cr Gelling said.

"It (the proposal for parallel parking) is the worst plan from a safety point of view." Cr Keith Loeser, who originally moved for the parallel parking option, attempted to stop further debate on the issue by moving onto the next item on the agenda, but was over-ruled by other members of council, including Cr Alan Whittle, who said he did "not want to be gagged".

Franklin Pde decision

Franklin Parade's Yilki precinct will have parallel parking on both sides of the road, the Norfolk Island Pine tree looks set to stay and the encroachment onto the beach will be minimal, if any.

Meeting on Monday night Victor Harbor council decided on a vote of 6-3 to pursue parallel parking on either side of the road. Those voting in favour of the plan - called Option A - were Councillors Liz Cooper, Keith Loeser, Sue Johnson, Rae Parker, Kaye Ewens and Enid Stilton. Against the move were councillors Tony Gelling, Deane Michelmore. and Brenton Hutchinson. Cr Alan Whittle was absent.

The director of technical services Mr Peter Bond, with the aid of overheads showed a number of options - some offering as many as 33 car parks, down to the favoured option allowing only 17. Encroachments onto the beach varied from about 350nr up to 1-1 10m-'.

Cr Keith Loeser successfully moved for the parallel parking option. He cited the council's Development Plan, its Corporate Plan and a Memorandum of Understanding with the state and federal governments as highlighting the need to protect the coastline from development. Given the delays already with the project and the problems of councillors saying they weren't fully aware of the impact of the road when they made their original decision, Cr Hutchinson suggested the council meet on site, close the road for 1-2 hours, invite interested residents and step out the proposals so everyone was fully aware of the physical implications of the various options.

However, this failed to gain the support of the majority of councillors Cr Tony Gelling described the parallel parking plan as "a recipe for disaster" citing safety risks with people having to maneuver themselves between parked vehicles and cross two lanes of traffic to get to the shops from the beach.

"It's going to look like a bowling alley." Cr Gelling said. Cr Deane Michelmore was also concerned about the safety implications and the loss of parking in the area. "Public safety is the big issue j and encroachment should be the second priority." Cr Michelmore I said.

He suggested an alternative was to eliminate parking on the shop side and provide 28, 90-degree j parking spaces on the sea side. ! "I wouldn't like to see anyone i being put in a situation where they have to get out of a vehicle and see a child dying on the road through no fault of their own," Cr Michelmore said.

Cr Enid Sutton continued to lobby for the removal of the Norfolk Island Pine tree opposite the shops saying the tree would not survive if the roots were disturbed during the road reconstruction. As a result Cr Looser successfully sought an assessment of the tree's condition. I "We are under the impression that once we ! remake the road it's going to give it very limited ; life." Cr Loeser said.

After Cr Looser' s motion was voted on, councillors indicated some confusion about the plan they had voted on given that two plans were on hand showing parallel parking.

As a result Cr Kay Ewens successfully moved that Option A be carried through to design stage , with a view to maximising parking and minimising the encroachment onto the beach, the tree be assessed for its retention or removal.

Mr Bond said the council could not expect to achieve any extra parking, beyond the 17 spaces on the current sketch, unless a further encroachment occurred. Work began on stage one of the multi-million dollar upgrade of Franklin Parade in early May but was stopped within 24 hours when residents expressed concern about a proposed encroachment onto the nearby beach.

The residents' ire was raised after council placed pegs onto the beach marking the route of the road diversion. The council has discussed the matter on a number of occasions over the past month or so putting forward a range of options and seeking sketches from Dare Sutton Clarke, the engineering consultants.

"I wouldn't like to see anyone being put in a situation where they have to get out of a vehicle and see a child dying on the road through no fault of their own." - Cr Deane Michelmore

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