Source : Perth Now news
The City of Fremantle has locked in a date for a special electors meeting following community backlash over the proposed axing of almost 30 trees at a Beaconsfield reserve.
Locals were outraged after learning 26 trees, including mature Norfolk pines, were on the chopping block to make way for a new junior sports oval as part of the Hilton Park redevelopment project.
A petition with almost 600 signatures was presented to the city last week requesting a special electors meeting to “halt all clearing and mature tree removals across the City of Fremantle”, specifically those at Hilton Reserve.
It also requested a mandate that any future infrastructure, sports or master plan developments be redesigned to prioritise 100 per cent retention of mature urban canopy.
The city confirmed the meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 15 and anyone is welcome to attend, however, only Fremantle residents can vote on motions submitted.
Works to develop sports grounds at the park have been paused in the meantime.
Lead petitioner Mark Woodcock said the price for growing community sport should not be losing decades-old trees, and flagged the hypocrisy of the city going against its own tree retention policy.
“I’m all for supporting kids and footy, cricket and soccer, any activities to get kids outside – I’m all for it,” Mr Woodcock said.
“But you have to set a bit of a standard … the city released their tree retention policy, it puts all the onus on the individual private owners and if it doesn’t take any of the same standards themselves, it’s a bit hypocritical.”
Fremantle council introduced its tree retention policy in March last year, mandating development approval was required for any “tree-damaging activity” on regulated trees taller than eight metres.
The Hilton Park precinct master plan was adopted by council in 2024 with community support, and included plans to cut down “some” trees to make way for a junior football oval.
Stage one kicked off in July with the $7.5 million refurbishment of Brad Hardie Pavilion, aiming to provide a more accessible facility for local sporting clubs and park users.
Works to prepare the site for the new oval were scheduled to begin earlier this month, but locals claimed they were shocked by signage stating 29 trees would be removed, without any further consultation.
The city held a site walk at the park to answer questions and explain the reasoning on Friday, August 14.
“Members of the community got the opportunity to view the location, size and orientation of the new junior oval (marked out on the ground). They also got the opportunity to ask questions and hear about plans for the project overall,” a city spokesperson told PerthNow.
The city confirmed on its website it would reduce the removal to 26 trees and plant 61 new native trees as part of stage one. It also said it was “not possible” to know the exact number of trees to be removed during the master plan process.
“What sparked up (the petition) was the community – the people who were interested in it saw a couple of trees and the words were ‘some trees’ (on the master plan) … but I think 29 total and the six Norfolk pines … it seems like a huge loss,” Mr Woodcock said.
“It’s not about being for trees and against the kids, it’s a matter of council doing their master plans properly. It’s the lack of transparency.
“The electors meeting is just to bring the issue forward to council and represent what the community thinks. It’s up to the council for what happens there.”
Mr Woodcock said he’s expecting a significant turnout from the community, and hopes people consider the history behind the trees.
Fremantle councillors were recently forced to backtrack on another Norfolk pine-related issue in South Fremantle.
Two century-old pines were marked for removal to make way for a new pedestrian crossing at the Douro Road/ South Terrace roundabout. Local ire made councillors swiftly reconsider and begin work to develop the crossing without removing the trees.
The special meeting regarding Hilton Park will be held at 6:30pm on September 15, in the Fremantle Town Hall.
Any resolutions passed will be considered by councillors at the next ordinary meeting on Wednesday, September 23.
