Two of Goulburn's Belmore Park trees receive chop

The removal of a tall American Elm on the Market Street aspect and an English Elm near the Hollis Fountain surprised some but followed a council decision in August.

A third tree, another tall English elm immediately east of the toilet block on the Montague Street side, is expected to be removed in coming weeks, a council spokesman said.

In 2016 the council commissioned an arborist to assess the health of Belmore Park trees and recommend a course of action.

It found the American Elm adjoining Market Street had a major defect in the main fork “that indicated an internally propagating crack” and “high potential to fail” in high winds. Previously, its decay had been addressed by filling a cavity with concrete.

The council spokesman said when the elm was removed, it was apparent one part was “completely hollow” with roots growing back up through the tree.

Nearby, the removed English Elm had a large split in the trunk and also had high potential to fail in a storm, the report found. 

“It has been reduced in weight and height over the past decade due to deadwood and die back,” business manager of community facilities, Rob Hughes told councillors in August.

“(It) is dying back further on the southern side and appears slightly chlorotic. It will need to be replaced immediately upon removal, but is well surrounded with adequate trees in the short term.”

The arborist and Mr Hughes were concerned about increased wind load on other trees caused by the removal.

The felled trees will be replaced with mature species.

“We will be putting in more than we’re taking out,” the council spokesman said.

The elm on the Montague Street side will be replaced with a tree dedicated to mark the 150^th anniversary of the railway’s arrival in Goulburn next May. Wider celebrations are also planned.

Meantime, the arborist, Dennis Marsden, has been re-engaged to inspect trees and develop a detailed action plan which includes crown remediation works, trimming, removal if necessary and a replacement program.

His report found that eight larger trees had serious structural problems.

His assessment was completed in April, 2016, one month after the limb of a large elm suddenly broke and squashed a large public art piece, a pink snail on loan to the Goulburn Regional Art Gallery. No one, except the snail, was injured. However councillors cited the incident last August when considering Mr Marsden’s recommendations.

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