Mount Evelyn
Tuesday, 12 May, 2020
Record breaker pain to greatness
Emerald mourns loss of town icon
House keeping community connected
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The netball court at Olinda Reserve with the towering Mountain Ash trees in the background. 208322
Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
Trees to get chop Yarra Ranges Council has approved the removal of 11 trees at the Olinda Recreation Reserve to make way for a new netball court and cricket net upgrades. At their council meeting on 5 April, councillors approved a Planning Application from Parks Victoria that sought to remove the vegetation, which included two large Mountain Ash trees. The application was submitted to allow for Parks Victoria’s Olinda Precinct Project.
Carolyn Ebdon spoke on behalf of Save the Dandenongs League. She urged the council to refuse the application in order to help preserve the landscape of an “ecologically sensitive area.” She said refusing the application would also help avoid significant disturbance of the natural landscape. “The Olinda Recreation Reserve contains many healthy and well established Mountain Ash. It’s Australia’s tallest flowering plant as well as other mature vegetation of varying ages
and diversity,” she said. “Large old trees are keystone structures of our forest, they are of great ecological importance and fulfil critical roles in our forest ecosystems. “The fact that, globally, large old trees are in decline, we must act locally to ensure we have enough mountain giants for the future.” She also said the removal of these trees would disrupt the viability of the nearby 117-year-old Olinda Mechanics Institute Hall. Continued page 10
The development of a new sports oval in Olinda is currently underway.
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By Romy Stephens