A WELLINGTON Point poinciana remembered for childhood walks, family meals and decades of shade is set to be removed, with Redland City Council now confirming it will plant a replacement tree after soil remediation.
The large tree on the frontage of 400 Main Rd has been monitored for several years after it was identified as having Ganoderma fungal infection – a significant decay fungus which affects a tree’s structural wood and causes extensive internal deterioration.
Council said recent assessments showed the decay had progressed and there was no effective treatment to cure or reverse the condition in an established tree.
Given its location in a high-use public area, the tree’s removal was considered the most appropriate action to protect residents, motorists and pedestrians.
“It’s sad that you need to remove this landmark, but we understand,” resident Sarah Comber wrote on Council’s Facebook page.
“Many a meal my family and I have had under the shade of this tree since the 80s.”
Another resident, Karen Marsden, said she had watched the tree grow as a child and described it as a familiar part of Wellington Point life, providing shade and shelter for birds and other animals.
Linda Hanson urged Council not to simply remove the tree and move on.
“We need our street trees for shade, and each one helps cool our planet! Please make sure it’s replaced!” she wrote.
Council said it was now working with its contractor to set a removal date with a traffic management plan to be in place to safely manage vehicle and pedestrian movements around the site.
A replacement tree will be planted once appropriate soil remediation has been completed.
Council said species already represented within the Wellington Point precinct were among the replacement options being considered.
Spencer Thomas had called for the poinciana to be replaced “with a preferred koala food tree”, sparking debate among residents about the safety risks of encouraging koalas beside a busy road.
Council said it remained committed to maintaining the precinct’s long-term character and environmental benefits.
While many residents accepted the need to remove a tree deemed unsafe, they said its replacement would be vital to ensuring the loss did not leave another bare patch in Wellington Point’s streetscape.
