UPDATE: The tree removal now requires the use of a crane which will further limit access to the Riverside Parklands area.
Council will bring the crane in with a goal of completing the works on Friday 24 January which means the works can be conducted efficiently and the community can be assured of the safety of the area ahead of the long weekend.
This will limit access to the River Cruz Café and means the café will have to close while the crane is in use however Council is working to limit the time in which the work will impact the facility and is liaising closely with the business.
EARLIER: A fig tree at Riverside Parklands will be removed after a significant limb failure sparked safety concerns in the popular area.
Earlier this week a 14-metre limb of the approximately 25-year-old tree, which is located just outside the River Cruz Café and overhangs the carpark and boardwalk entry, fell to the roadside.
Bundaberg Regional Council crews mobilised immediately to close off the area and clear the fallen branch.
A Council arborist has since inspected the health of the tree, which was found to have a serious condition known as bark inclusion.
Mayor Helen Blackburn said Council crews would now fast track the removal of the tree to ensure public safety.
“While it is disappointing to lose such a beautiful tree, our first priority is always the safety of the community,” she said.
“The location of the tree near a popular café and parking areas has made it a potential hazard for pedestrians, patrons and those travelling through.
“We must consider the safety of everyone in the area as well as the long-term sustainability of the tree itself.”
Mayor Blackburn said the region was filled with magnificent trees, and even some historically significant trees, and while it would be everyone’s preference to be able to keep them all, unfortunately it wasn’t always possible.
River Cruz Café owner Nerida Spoor, who leases the building from Council, said it was sad to see the fig tree removed but the works would ensure the safety of diners and pedestrians headed to the popular cafe.
“We just want it to be safe and kept as beautiful as possible for our customers and for people to enjoy that area,” Nerida said.
“People love it down there, they love the café they always just say it’s nice and relaxing and friendly.”
She said the café would remain open and her team would be cooperating with Council staff undertaking tree removal to ensure customers could continue to enjoy their dining experience at the café.
A section of Riverside Parklands will be closed while the removal works take place.
“Council crews will continue to work on a plan for the tree’s safe removal so residents should expect work to be underway in coming days,” Mayor Blackburn said.
“A replacement tree will be planted in the area in the near future.”
What is bark inclusion?
The condition occurs when branches grow too close together, causing the bark between them to become embedded and preventing the branches from fully interlocking.
This weakens the structural integrity of the tree and makes it more likely for branches to break off.
