Burnt Curraweela tree comes crashing moments after postman's delivery

A tall burnt trees crashed to the ground near the verge of the Taralga to Oberon Road on Wednesday, November 29, following heavy rain.

READ MORE: Reconstruction Authority comes under fire over Curraweela response

One fell across Jenny Diprose's driveway, moments after an Australia Post arrived to deliver her email.

"I can't believe how close it came to falling on someone. If I had parked there to close the gate, it would have fallen on my car," she said.

The SES came within the hour to clear the tree at Ms Diprose's request but with continuing rain, she says she wonders 'what's next?'

The 30-metre pine was one of about 50 remaining on her property since the Curraweela fire in March that destroyed 4437 hectares. It burnt through hers and many other properties.

In the months since, residents have called on the Reconstruction Authority and other government agencies to clear burnt trees from properties and lining the Taralga/Oberon Road.

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Another resident, Frank Startari has written several times to Premier Chris Minns and state ministers urging action on the trees and other assistance measures which were previously discussed.

"We need the NSW Reconstruction Authority to address this danger as a matter of urgency," he wrote in a recent email to emergency services and planning ministers, Jihad Dib and Paul Scully.

"Trees overhanging public roads and power lines to the district need to be felled immediately. It is some eight months after the fire and the burnt base and roots of these trees are fragile.

"The Upper Lachlan Shire Council does not have the resources to do this work, nor do they have any funds to co-contribute...They simply do not have the money to contribute to these works and are in desperate need of financial assistance."

Ms Diprose said Curraweela experienced "hideous storms" last week with strong winds and heavy rain that could readily uproot already dying trees.

"We had several inches of rain that day; it came down in bucket loads," she said.

"The root systems on these (burnt) trees are shallow and they can easily fall."

The pines also line the road, including about 50 outside the historic Grathwai property, a short distance north from Ms Diprose's home. She says they are at least 50 metres tall with two-metre wide root bases.

"They're big and dangerous and have fallen over the road in the past," she said.

"...They (authorities) won't be happy coming out at 5am or whatever of a morning and clearing trees and a body from the road. It's a disaster waiting to happen."

Mr Startari said October, 2022 traffic counts showed an average 1574 vehicles used the "major inland road" daily.

He said he hadn't received a reply to his previous emails requesting assistance.

"Ignoring us does not repair the devastation suffered by this community. What it does is compound the mental health issues that many of us are suffering," he wrote in his recent correspondence.

"We...are pleading for urgent assistance to remove the most urgent danger to the commuters on the public roads."

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