Veteran anger at Avenue of Honour tree removal

ANGER continues to flare over plans to move two Narre Warren North trees planted to honour World War I veterans.
The trees will be uprooted to make way for a road leading up to a new shopping centre that recently received unanimous approval from Casey councillors.
The plan includes provisions for a supermarket, bakery, liquor shop and newsagency in Main Street, Narre Warren North.
However, nearby residents and the Berwick RSL have questioned the council’s decision and the impact this will have on the Avenue of Honour and Narre Warren North’s history.
The avenue was built in 1919 with many trees representing locals in the area.
The two trees touted for removal are younger trees that were planted from the acorns of trees from the original Avenue of Honour.
They were planted to replace two that died.
There has been some disagreement about whether the trees form part of the avenue and there have also been disputes about when they were planted.
The trees will be moved, not destroyed, but it is yet to be decided where they will be relocated.
Berwick RSL member Rod Charles said many Vietnam veterans, like himself, supported the RSL’s disapproval of the planned tree removal.
He said the issue had created disharmony in the community.
“How can they desecrate our memorial?
“We will be fighting this issue to the end,” he said.
Berwick RSL president Noel Sealey said veterans would hate to see the Avenue of Honour interfered with and were investigating whether to challenge the plans at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) later this month.
“The RSL will ascertain the details from council about the position of the trees and while we do know the trees were added later we want to know whether they form part of the original avenue,” he said.
Narre Warren North resident Clive Ellis said there was no doubt in his mind that the trees formed part of the Avenue of Honour and said they too were considering whether to take their concerns to VCAT.
“If people make a lot of noise maybe they will think twice,” he said.
But Narre Warren North businessman and former City of Berwick councillor Marco Ciavarella said the issue had been blown out of proportion.
He said he would now consider moving his newsagency and post office business if opposition to the new shopping facility continued.
Mr Ciavarella said the trees would definitely be relocated and people were bending the truth about the issue.
“Let’s not forget that the trees are being moved from A to B, not being removed altogether,” he said.
Casey planning manager Bob Baggio said a condition of the permit was that the young oak trees be saved and moved to another location.