Illegal tree-cutting on the rise along Sydney's waterfront

Residents carrying out tree vandalism’ in pursuit of better views and property prices

- Jonathan Pearlman

In a leafy waterside suburb of Sydney, a barren patch lies where, until recently, a thick cluster of native trees stood in the forest along the foreshore.

Now, the spot is peppered with rotting stumps - the remnants of an estimated 285 trees on public land that were deliberately killed, presumably as part of an attempt by a local home owner to secure a view of the harbour.

A local resident, Mr Jim Stone, who has lived in the area for 45 years, told The Straits Times that the removal of the trees was the result of "greed".

"It's absolutely outrageous," said Mr Stone, a 67-year-old retired civil engineer, sharing a sentiment common among local residents and across the city.

"It's the same all over Sydney Harbour - wherever there's a waterfront house, the trees get poisoned or cut down. It just keeps happening."

The destruction of the trees in Woodford Bay, a quiet inlet in the northern Sydney suburb of Longueville, stunned the city and marked the worst recorded act of environmental vandalism in the history of the local Lane Cove Council.

The trees are believed to have been cut down with chainsaws in November. Some locals have speculated that the trees were felled at night and removed by boat.

The council said on Jan 5 that it is investigating the incident and has identified "person/s of interest".