Residents of Huntly, Victoria, have expressed outrage and disappointment after the local council removed centuries-old street trees to make way for a concrete footpath. The trees, some estimated to be over 100 years old, were cut down without prior notice or consultation with local residents.

Concerns Over Loss of Biodiversity and Native Habitats

• Residents, including local landcare group members, have raised concerns over the loss of biodiversity and native habitats in the area.
• They argue that the removal of the trees could have easily been avoided, and that alternative solutions, such as a winding path, could have been used.

“You’re losing your biodiversity values, you’re losing your nesting sites for native critters,” said Ken Beasley, a local resident who witnessed the tree removal. “The growing conditions here are so poor, for them to get up that big they would be quite a number of years old.”

The Council’s Response

The City of Greater Bendigo council has responded to the criticism, stating that the removal of the trees is part of a larger public infrastructure plan for the Huntly development precinct.