09-07-2025
Aussie homeowner's fury after council removes 57 new plants from rural roadside
A tense battle between an Aussie farmer and her council over a 400-metre stretch of a rural roadside has come to a 'sad and stupid' end. The nature strip at the centre of the controversy fronts landscape architect Sarah Hunter's property in Doreen, on the outskirts of Melbourne, where she lives with her family.
It was with their help that she planted 57 native plants along the reserve late last year after carefully selecting and germinating seeds, many of which came from Indigenous nurseries, costing her roughly $4 each.
While she hoped to provide a 'biolink' for local wildlife and increase tree canopy on Middle Hut Road, officers for Nillumbik Shire Council — touted as 'the green wedge shire' — marked the saplings with spray paint and ordered Ms Hunter to remove them by the end of April amid accusations they were planted illegally.
The disappointed mum intentionally missed the deadline and urged the council to reconsider, pointing out that the area had been deemed by Nillumbik as an area of environmental significance.
Ms Hunter told Yahoo News Australia she put a lot of thought into the placement of the plants, which she said are largely located where 'they would build on the existing forest' of yellow box eucalyptus trees.
'It's a dirt road with no infrastructure in the landscape and there's no power overhead or anything underground,' she said, adding she took into account their distance from the road and space for drivers to pull over safely.
After a few weeks of back-and-forth, Ms Hunter received another letter from the council last month informing her officers would be coming by to remove the trees themselves. On July 1 they followed through and pulled out all 57 saplings, the farmer said.
Speaking to Yahoo, the Nillumbik Council noted it is 'committed to protecting and enhancing the shire's biodiversity and environment in a safe and appropriate way' but maintained that Ms Hunter's new additions had to go.
'While the trees in Middle Hut Road have been planted with good intent, they are unfortunately illegal and hinder council's ability to undertake crucial fire management and fire mitigation works,' it said.
'Middle Hut Road is a key fire safety area and council needs to be able to mow the roadside and ensure the necessary road clearance is maintained for emergency vehicles access. Trees planted in the road reserve can inhibit our ability to carry out these essential works, which is why a permit is required to ensure plantings are appropriate.'
The council said no permits were requested for the plants in front of Ms Hunter's home, which the landscape architect explained was simply an oversight that she retrospectively applied for but was denied.
'The trees were identified for removal during routine inspections undertaken ahead of the fire season,' it added. 'The resident was advised that the trees not impacting fire mitigation works could stay and the ones identified for removal could be replanted on the owner's private property.'
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After returning home last week to find the 'beautiful trees' missing, a disappointed Ms Hunter decided to document the aftermath — a bare roadside reverse with several holes in the soil.
The farmer said that while her plants had been taken, the council allegedly left behind known weeds, shattered glass and broken bottles. Nillumbik did not respond to Yahoo's request for comment regarding the claim by the time of publication.
'These plants would have provided habitat for the 70 bird species recorded in this area,' Ms Hunter said. 'The plants removed would have offset around 1.25 tonnes of carbon per year once mature, just going by the average offset of 22 kilograms each per year. It's such a waste of what could have been.'
The local is now urging the council to replace its permit system with guidelines for residents.
'Roadsides and nature strips are everywhere that humans are, and by definition in the places where biodiversity has been lost. It makes sense to use them as a space to put back some of that biodiversity, for wildlife but also to improve quality of life for humans.'
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