Mystery in Rumbelow Street

• 19/10/2023

• By Michael Simmons

There are some strange happenings at Rumbelow Street, Encounter Bay during the past 12 months.

Four “healthy“ gums were ripped out from the street along with five from nearby Hodge Avenue and were replaced by the City of Victor Harbor council by three Callistemons, two on Rumbelow Street (to replace four gums) and one on Hodge Avenue (to replace five gums).

But within two weeks the replacement plants were also removed.

The “healthy“ gums that were fallen by council in 2022 at Rumbelow Street, Encounter Bay.

Rumbelow Street resident Hugh Harley said the response from council had been “unsatisfactory“.

“I had a site meeting in early May with council’s Kathy Hayter and Andrew Comas where they trotted out their spiel of diseased trees and an intention to ‘replace’ the felled gums with Callistemons (botttle brush) during 2023.

I encouraged them to take a wider view of like for like replacement,“ Mr Harley said.

“I am totally dismayed that nine mature gum trees had been ‘replaced’ by only three Callistemons. It is unsatisfactory.”

“We have seen 600 years of native tree growth replaced by three bottlebrushes which only survived two weeks.

This is ridiculous, as other neighbours are as stunned by these developments as me.“

Mr Harley said council had a draft out for a Biodiversity Policy, but did not have a Landscape Enhancement Policy or a Vegetation policy and preferred to make “ad hoc decisions about tree planting“.

Council said the removal of the three Callistemons, two on Rumbelow Street and one on Hodge Avenue were not authorised.

“We were extremely disappointed to learn that the trees had been removed,“ the council spokesperson said.

“Unfortunately we have been unable to prove who was responsible for the tree removal.

“Council’s Open Spaces Team is exploring the best approach for tree replacement, which is likely to occur next planting season, around May to September 2024.“

Council said the original trees were assessed and removed after long and careful consideration by team members qualified in environmental management, arboriculture and horticulture.

“The loss of habitat and canopy cover was indeed a great pity, however, in this instance, unavoidable,“ the council spokesperson said.

“Council takes its open space, environment and biodiversity programs very seriously.

“We annually plant thousands of local plants, including rare and threatened species – in 2022, it was just over 3000 across 33 sites.

“We have also added around 900 new reserve and street trees associated with new developments.“

The demise of the gum trees, which has upset residents at Rumbelow Street, eventuated because council’s Open Space team was inspecting other trees in the area and observed noticeable signs of weakness on these trees that could contribute to significant limb failure.

Subsequently, the Tree Assessment Panel inspected these trees and the decision to program removal was based on the following visual Tree Assessment findings: the trees had multiple weak bark and branch unions, with separation progressed on most trees; many of the trees had fungal fruiting bodies emerging from the trunks of a size that indicated significant decay of internal wood; one of the trees had severe phototropism, which had caused the tree to have a severely asymmetrical canopy which could not be rectified by pruning; and the trees had significant branch extension encroaching over the property of 53 Rumbelow Street which, although not a risk at the time of assessment, would pose a high risk if land use changed at this address.

“As a result of this assessment the decision was, regrettably, to remove these mature trees due to the likelihood of significant limb failure.

“Subsequent observations by internal staff and contractor during the removal process revealed advanced wood decay in those trees with fungal fruiting bodies,“ the spokesperson said.

Mr Harley said with every new development in this saga it all became increasingly farcical.

“More importantly, we still lack our own green environment which has been sacrificed over the last five years,“ he said.

“I would suggest that it’s time for a round table discussion of stakeholders to ensure progress in the right direction.

“A lot of council’s time and expense has been expended on this matter already and a better co-ordinated response is required.

“Currently, ’Yes Minister’ comes to mind … plead ignorance and ’kick the can down the road’.

“As for next year’s planting season, they’ve got to be kidding! That will then be six years to replace anything.“