Ace Breaking News – In short: Six Australian native trees on public land have been poisoned along a beachside strip of an exclusive Queensland town. Noosa’s Sunshine Beach is one of the country’s most sought-after addresses, with buyers including former prime minister Kevin Rudd ABC Sunshine Local News report
What’s next:
The Noosa Council is investigating and warns of maximum fines of more than $140,000
Six Australian native trees have been poisoned on public land along one of Queensland’s most expensive and exclusive beachside streets.
The Noosa Council says the “very intentional and calculated act” occurred along a 55-metre stretch of dunes at Sunshine Beach
The suburb has developed a high profile with properties sold for tens of millions of dollars in recent years, including to TV presenter Karl Stefanovic, former prime minister Kevin Rudd and mining magnate Gina Rinehart.
The six mature trees included a coast banksia, beach bird’s eye and a tuckeroo, each critical for ensuring the sand dunes remain stable and for protecting wildlife.
‘Boreholes and poison’
Noosa Council environment services manager Richard MacGillivray said he was “extremely disturbed” by the attack, particularly given the steepness of the area and the effort required.
“There’s no two ways about it, this is damage to something that our community values the most, and that is the natural environment,” he said.
“What’s most disappointing is that people would go to this level of effort.
“You can see that there’s been boreholes drilled and chemicals applied to target particular native species in our forest.”
Mr MacGillivray said he understood that some would assume the poisoning was done to improve someone’s views, but investigators would investigate the matter thoroughly.
Several of the trees have already begun dying.
Those responsible could face a maximum fine of more than $140,000 if prosecuted.
As a policy, the council erects large signs where bushland or trees have been illegally cleared or killed, to minimise the incentive for others to do the same.
Expensive and exclusive
The prices of houses in Sunshine Beach are among the highest in the state, with a median of $2.39 million.
It has a population of less than 3,000, with a small number of streets where homes are separated from the sand by a narrow sliver of bushland.
A double block near The Esplanade was sold to BV Investments, a subsidiary of Ms Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting, in 2022 for $21.5 million.
In the early months of 2020, former prime minister Kevin Rudd and his wife, Thérèse Rein, purchased a home on a nearby street for $17 million, just months after Mr Stefanovic bought a property on the same street for $3.6 million.
‘Very selfish reason’
Maria Suarez is the environment councillor in the neighbouring Sunshine Coast shire, which has had multiple tree poisonings in the past two years.
She said in each of those investigations, it was motivated by “personal gain”.
“It’s absolutely personal gain, either financial or for their lifestyle, because they just couldn’t be bothered looking through a tree to get their ocean views, or mountain views or whatever it is.”
She said with beachside trees slowing or preventing erosion and helping to cool areas, the vandalism could make life worse for those living nearby.
Earlier this year, the Sunshine Coast council prosecuted an offender for destroying vegetation at Coolum, with the culprit ordered to pay almost $15,000 in compensation on top of a $20,000 fine.
Cr Suarez said she understood that some may risk a fine, particularly if they stood to benefit from a higher property price.
But she said the large, often unattractive signs placed at the scene did discourage the behaviour.
“Every time a sign goes up, I can’t tell you the amount of complaints we get,”
she said.
“I can say the complaints are usually only coming from one or two residents, but the rest of the community is congratulating us.”
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