A MERBEIN resident has described the dire state of native trees on the township’s nature and median strips as an “eyesore” that needs urgent action.
The resident, who wished to remain anonymous, has lived in Merbein all his life and blamed lack of care and maintenance for dozens of “dead” gum trees, shrubs and bushes.
He said he was concerned about the “hacking” of gum trees by Powercor along Commercial Street and neighbouring residential streets.
He said he hoped Mildura Council would replace the trees with smaller shrubs that did not interfere with powerlines.
“I’ve lived here all my life and it’s sad to see … it’s a real eyesore,” he said.
“I want council to remove those dead trees and replace them with low-growing shrubs so every 12 months Powercor doesn’t have to come out here and butcher them.
“We pay our rates like everyone else, but we can’t physically cut down one of these dead trees ourselves. We’re not allowed to touch them.”
The resident suggested replacing the gums with low-growing shrubs was a “simple answer” as they were also drought-resistant, but said his inquiries to the council had gone “unanswered”.
But a council spokesman said residents could also help by tipping the occasional bucket of water on trees during the ongoing drought.
“Council is doing what it can to keep our public areas green, however we’re also subject to water restrictions in most public areas,” he said.
The spokesman confirmed the council was contacted by the resident in January, but had already put a number of trees in Merbein through the application process to be removed before the inquiry.
“Council is aware there are a number of dead trees in the Merbein area, which were identified following council inspections conducted in January,” the spokesman said.
“These trees will go through the standard process to be approved for removal. The priority of these removals is based on the condition and structure-safety of the tree.”
A Powercor spokesman said managing vegetation around powerlines was vital in delivering reliable power to customers. He said he hoped the council was aware of what it was planting.
“We encourage local councils and other land managers to be aware of what species they are planting near overhead lines or underground cable to minimise safety and reliability risks and reduce the need for ongoing cutting,” the spokesman said.
But the council’s spokesman said it was already conscious of what trees it was planting by referring to a specific database for guidance.
“We work with a current database that indicates which trees are best replacements for those we are removing when located under powerlines,” he said.
“Tall growing species are not used to replace trees that have been removed in these instances.”
The spokesman said there were a number of factors affecting the condition of the trees, including heat and high winds.
“If residents find themselves with a spare bucket of water, whether it’s after cleaning cars or from internal water-saving measures, we encourage them to think about using it on trees in their streets, which can help them through the current dry conditions.”
