The work was carried out by Essential Energy contractors and Goulburn Mulwaree Mayor Geoff Kettle has labelled it “appalling”.

In a letter to Essential Energy CEO Gary Humphries, Cr Kettle said while Council understands the need to keep overhead power lines free from trees for network reliability, “the recent pruning has been excessive, unprofessional and has left some trees in such a poor state that the structural integrity and long term viability has been compromised”.

He attached a photo of a tree to the letter, in which all foliage had been removed leaving a stump behind.

“A defining characteristic of Goulburn is its wide streets and extensive avenues of trees,” Cr Kettle said.

“The aftermath of this work has decimated some avenues of trees and angered many citizens.

“Works were also carried out in an unsafe manner, with extensive off cuts being stacked on the nature strips without appropriate delineation.

“An unacceptable consequence of this work would require the Goulburn community to manage the remnants of the remaining trees, a burden which the Goulburn community should not have to carry.”

Cr Kettle said a meeting was held in April 2015 with Essential Energy and Goulburn Mulwaree Council officers to discuss Council’s dissatisfaction with a similar sub-standard tree pruning program.

Council’s Director of Operations Matt O’Rourke said that following this meeting, he was of the understanding there would be consultation before further pruning works were carried out.

“This would allow Council to respond to ratepayers in an informed manner and give Council landscaping staff the opportunity to review proposed pruning activities to achieve a more suitable outcome,” Mr O’Rourke said. 

 “This consultation did not occur and is a poor reflection of the regard Essential Energy has shown the Goulburn community.”

According to Essential Energy’s Plan Before You Plant document, vegetation must be managed near powerlines to maintain public safety.

“By working together with the communities we serve, we can achieve a sustainable outcome for everyone.

In doing so we will minimise the risk of power supply interruptions caused by vegetation falling on, or coming into contact with, powerlines,” it writes.

“As part of our comprehensive network maintenance program, powerlines are regularly inspected to assess risk levels and ensure minimum safety clearance zones between vegetation and powerlines.

“Trimming further than the minimum safety clearance zone is also performed so vegetation will not encroach on this zone before trees are trimmed again.”

Deputy Mayor Bob Kirk has also weighed into the issue, describing the work as “mutilation”.

In a letter published in today’s Goulburn Post, he brings up one possible solution - garnered from last year’s trip to Goulburn’s sister city Shibetsu in Japan.

“Shibetsu has much greater “swings” in their climate – 30 degrees in summer, – then minus 30 degrees in winter, along with several metres of snow,” Cr Kirk writes.

“Their street trees, and power lines, also have to cope with the temperatures and the weight of the snow – but the power lines still pass through the body of the trees.

“At the same time, power lines which would come into contact with the branches, are insulated for protection – rather than cutting the guts out of the trees.”