At their last meeting Woollahra Council endorsed a plan to chop down 3 mature, healthy Hills Figs in Yarranabee Park in New Beach Road Darling Point. These trees had the top of their canopy removed a couple of years ago to allow some residents of New Beach Road city & Harbour Bridge views.  Now the Council says the trees can be removed to allow for extra parking along New Beach Road.

Architect Dennis Rabinowitz a member of residents’ group, Rushcutters Bay Parks Enhancement Group, is pushing for a Champs-Elysee type waterside boulevard saying this, “is all about good design.  …any avenue is defined by the rhythmic passing of an element…. The removal of these trees will reinstate the rhythm.”  I can’t seem to make the connection between good design, rhythm & more parking spaces no matter how hard I try.

Cynics could be forgiven if they believed that the real reason was the million dollar views of the Sydney skyline, the Sydney Harbour Bridge & the harbour itself.  3 really tall Fig trees do tend to get in the way of this. Oh, & property values. A better view adds millions of dollars in this part of Sydney.

A rescission motion will be voted on this Monday night.  Let’s hope the Councillors see sense this time & realize that these trees are more than just the property of Woollahra Council.  Sydney Harbour belongs to all the whole community of Sydney, which is why this issue has been given such prominent & wide coverage in the media.

Trees on the harbour’s edge are what create the look & feel of Sydney Harbour. Historic & large trees such as these should never be removed for parking or for views or for Parisian style boulevards. We live in Sydney, home to the mighty Fig tree, not Paris & this is a strength, not a weakness. In my opinion the view of the south side of the harbour is of too many buildings & not enough green because of the increase in buildings & hard surfaces in recent years.

There is also the issue of ever declining food for flying foxes & these trees would provide food for bats & birds as well as habitat for a range of birds, insects & animals. This is important, as urban wildlife should be able to live in this park as well.  A city is dead without its urban wildlife.

Today, there was a community rally to protest the removal of the trees with Jack Mundey in attendance.  Let’s see what happens next. http://www.thecourier.com.au/news/national/national/environment/tree-culling-it-all-depends-on-a-point-of-view/2388176.aspx

You can see what is to gain in terms of city & harbour views if the trees are removed with this panoramic view of Yarranabbe Park. – http://www.panoramicearth.com/3046/Sydney/Yarranabbe_Park_on_Rushcutters_Bay

A local Hills Fig