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THE ALPINE
BRIGHT - POREPUNKAH - MT BEAUTY - TAWONGA - TAWONGA SOUTH Wednesday, May 3, 2023
Phone: (03) 5752 1058
www.alpineobserver.com.au
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ON THE MARCH IN REMEMBRANCE: Ex-servicemen marched down Ireland Street before Bright’s 11am ANZAC Day service last Tuesday as crowds filled Mafeking Square. More coverage pages 2-3. PHOTO: Brodie Everist
Page 4
COUNCIL CONSIDERS RATE RISE
Sport
BRIGHT’S RUN CONTINUES
Getting the chop A ROUND of tough pruning on Harrietville’s entrance trees has caused an outcry from one local resident and renewed calls for the installation of underground power lines in the village. Many trees on the eastern side of the Great Alpine Road, primarily between Howard’s Bridge and Newman’s Lane, have developed an L-shape due to years of pruning to avoid powerlines, but Harrietville resident Doug Humphries is particularly incensed by recent lopping, allegedly by power company Ausnet. In a letter to the Alpine Observer, Mr Humphries
they sometimes Tree trim leads to calls for underground g electricityy meaning cut back further than
BY BRODIE EVERIST beverist@ nemedia.com.au
said the pruning deserved the “gold standard for ugliness award”. “Their current programme has left them visually butchered and physically unbalanced, with little resemblance to a natural growing plant and, in fact, may or may not present a safety issue in the future,” he said. “I urge the Alpine Shire to exert what influence
they have to limit this desecration in other parts of the shire and revisit the assurance given by the commissioner, following the demise of Bright Shire, to progress the undergrounding of the power lines into Harrietville in order for this continuing defacement of the natural assets at the entrance to our village to cease.” Harrietville resident Robyn Downey said due to pruning the trees had taken on a ‘toilet seat’ shape, and many locals were bothered by it. “None of us are particularly fond of what
they’ve done,” she said. “My concern is how stable are those trees?” Ms Downey said putting the powerlines underground had been discussed when powerlines were installed to Mount Hotham, but it was deemed too expensive by the shire. “It’s a real shame they didn’t do that then,” she said. Another village resident, Edwin Byford, agreed the trees looked physically unbalanced, and said the powerlines should be placed underground when the NBN is installed, improving local safety. “If somebody digs a
2023
Phone for an appointment, call in to our DLJƌƚůĞĨŽƌĚ ŽĸĐĞ Žƌ ǀŝƐŝƚ ŽƵƌ ǁĞďƐŝƚĞ ĨŽƌ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ ŽŶ ƉƌĞͲƉůĂŶŶŝŶŐ LJŽƵƌ ĨƵŶĞƌĂů ĂƌƌĂŶŐĞŵĞŶƚƐ ĂŶĚ ĨƵŶĞƌĂů ďŽŶĚƐ͘ 166 Myrtle Street, Myrtleford
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trench and puts them in together that would save the expense,” he said. “We have trees going through the powerlines irregularly, but it’s a problem now and then.” According to an Ausnet spokeswoman, trees are required to be cut away from powerlines to ensure a minimum clearance space is maintained, as part of AusNet’s bushfire mitigation work. The spokeswoman said back to-back La Nina weather events meant they need to allow for the stronger growth of trees that are close to powerlines,
previous trims to ensure trees don’t grow back before the fire season. She said they always balance regulatory obligations with amenity, especially with vegetation of significance, such as the trees as this location. According to the spokeswoman, the assessment prior to cutting is undertaken by a qualified person to ensure the structural integrity of the tree remains after the trim. She said the cutters are also trained to the industry standard, which was met at this location.