Ferntree Gully
Belgrave
Mail Covering the Dandenongs in the Yarra Ranges & Cardinia Shires
Allergy battle
2 Tuesday, 20 June, 2017
5
Trees policy defended
A Mail News Group publication
15-16
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Work-outs that work A Monbulk Aquatic Centre program is helping to improve the health and well-being of hills individuals, one work-out at a time. Among those benefitting is one of the winners of the Your New Beginning 12week challenge, Adie Bergen (in black), who is pictured with her personal trainer, Di Bottrell. See full story on page 6.169485 Picture: ROB CAREW
Hope is growing A Selby family is hoping to move forward with their lives and without fear a second tree will crash through their property. During a windstorm on 9 October last year, Mark and Lynne Westaway, and their children Brit and Liam, narrowly escaped with their lives after a towering tree fell onto their family home of 32 years. Only 10 minutes before the fall, the family had been in the loungeroom that
bore the brunt of the tree. Instead, the tree fell just metres from Brit, leaving the family traumatised. But, if a damaged home wasn’t enough, that event hasn’t been the end of their troubles. The fallen tree was one of two ‘sister trees’ situated on an adjacent reserve, both of which Yarra Ranges Council arborists had deemed safe, despite the Westaway family raising concerns about 10 years before.
Still in fear over the October incident, the family believe it’s only a matter of time before the remaining tree follows suit. Mark said it could only fall in one direction, “right smack through the middle of our house”. But after arborists again declared the remaining tree safe in April this year, the family pleaded with council at its Tuesday 13 June meeting to have the tree removed. Mark said the family didn’t want to
live in fear anymore. “Only sheer chance decided whether or not that was a killer tree,” he said. “Now, this tree had been twice charged with the same assessment. “After this tree came through our house, we requested another roadside appraisal for the remaining tree and, again, you’ve seen the recommendation. “We can’t understand this; I don’t know what it takes ... all history points towards a repeat event.
“We cannot understand how one tree ... can be deemed more precious and valuable than our lives.” Mark said the remaining tree, although healthy, sits in an aquifer and is among a line of trees that have all fallen in the same direction, which is towards their house. Lynne, who is a teacher at Selby Primary School, explained to the council the level of fear with which the family lived. Continued on Page 3
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