51 Old Smithfield Road Freshwater QLD 4870

Speaking on behalf of the many Freshwater locals in our Freshwater residents group, we are all very upset and angry about the possibility of this iconic, old majestic tree being removed. If there are issues with falling branches the first step should be pruning and attempting to preserve the health of the tree. These raintrees are the character of Freshwater and have taken 50 or more years to grow. They provide much needed shade for residents out walking and the school kids too. But most of all removing them is destroying the streetscape and ambience of Freshwater. If the land adjoining is to be redeveloped, all the more reason the tree must stay, to soften the appearance of a modern multiple dwelling building ruining the quiet residential street-scape. We have lost a number of our large old trees in Freshwater recently. Please reconsider this removal. Thank you.

This tree is iconic to the neighbourhood and an important element of the character of Freshwater.
To lose the tree would result in diminishing the character of Freshwater.
It is certainly older than neighbouring houses, and having lived next to the tree for 30 years I would suggest it poses no more threat to anyone than any other large tree, and has no signs of disease.

The residents of Freshwater, strongly oppose the removal of the large, iconic tree located at 51 old smithfield road. This tree is a defining feature of our neighborhood—providing essential shade, supporting local wildlife, and contributing to the character and beauty of our community.

Its presence enhances the quality of the neighbourhood for everyone who lives here. Removing it would be a significant and unnecessary loss.

Please reconsider and explore alternatives that allow this tree to remain in place.

Such a shame the owners cannot work around this beautiful iconic tree. Removing it will destroy the streetscape and the very essence of what makes Freshwater so beautiful.

Can a good trim be done rather than just ripping it down?

Please consider the effects removing this tree will have on our community.

Council should only approve removal of these large canopy trees if there is absolutely no other alternative.

The value of grey infrastructure is acknowledged but not our green infrastructure.

We must preserve our large canopy trees for the health and safety of our future generations.

Removal of such a large tree needs a report from an independent orbourist. It is a conflict of interest to have a report from a tree business who then cuts down the tree.

Most tree businesses as I understand it have qualifications and skills to safely remove a tree. That is they can safely climb a tree and use a chainsaw. Thats very important but just as important is having an independent arbourist with the knowledge, skills and qualifications to assess a tree.

Removal of this tree would be an absolute tragedy. It is so beautiful, must be so old and provides vital shade and some protection from rain when we’re walking our children to school. What are we saying to our younger generation when these huge, beautiful trees are cut down so frequently. This will be the second on this street in the last year or so. Please reconsider. As a previous community member said, surely it is a conflict of interest to have those who financially benefit from the removal, providing the report forming the basis of the decision!? We should preserving this beautiful tree and the character of the suburb.

I urge the council to please consider if the large tree at 51 old Smithfield rd can be kept rather than removed. It’s been part of the neighbourhood for as long as I can remember. I have lived parallel to this tree for over 25years. It is a real landmark that adds character and is a vital part to the freshwater streetscape and aesthetic.

There’s a similar tree at the nearby Freshwater daycare opposite the tennis courts. They built around the tree when the daycare was established in place of the old Freshwater Pub instead of cutting it down. This tree was preserved and it is now a central part of the space and a symbol of community and care.

I really hope something similar could be done here. This tree means a lot to many of us — it would be a real shame to lose it.

This tree is a significant and irreplaceable part of our community’s natural heritage and contributes profoundly to both the local environment and the character of Freshwater.

The tree provides multiple benefits which would be lost should it be removed:

Shade and Cooling: It provides essential shade in our hot climate, cooling the street and adjacent properties.

Wildlife Habitat: It supports native birds, insects, and other wildlife, maintaining biodiversity in our urban area.

Air Quality and Carbon Sequestration: The tree improves air quality, produces oxygen, and helps to mitigate climate change by absorbing carbon.

Soil Health and Water Management: Its roots improve soil structure and water absorption, reducing runoff, erosion, and flooding.

Aesthetic and Cultural Value: It enhances the streetscape and contributes to the unique charm of our neighbourhood, valued by residents and visitors alike.

It is important to note that Council itself has already shown an understanding of the tree’s significance and a commitment to preserving it. The newly-installed footpath at this location has been deliberately raised to accommodate the tree’s roots, demonstrating that solutions to infrastructure challenges are possible — and have already been implemented — without destroying the tree. This sensible and thoughtful approach should continue to guide decision-making about the tree’s future.

I urge the Council to:

1. Honour its previous investment and commitment to preserving this tree by rejecting its removal.

2. Explore any further engineering or maintenance options that would mitigate remaining concerns while retaining the tree.

3. Facilitate proper community consultation on the proposal, given the high value placed on this tree by the residents of Freshwater.

Removing this healthy, mature tree would be a significant and permanent loss to our community, while the issues cited in support of its removal have already been shown to be manageable through alternative measures.

Thank you for your attention to this matter and I look forward to being kept informed of any updates or opportunities for further input.

This stunning tree needs to be saved. It’s been a major feature of our neighbourhood ever since family moved in 1990. You don’t buy this piece of land without considering its epic tree. I really hope all the elements are considered by council in making a decision regarding it’s future.

This tree is more than just part of the landscape, it’s a living landmark that defines the character and beauty of our community. Its greenery provides essential shade, a sense of tranquility, and has stood as a symbol of the area’s natural charm for generations; long before any of us were here.

Removing it, unless truly unavoidable, would not only be a loss. It would be the beginning of eroding what makes this place so special. Please protect what makes the neighbourhood worth calling home.

This magnificent specimen of Samanea saman has been growing quietly at 51 Old Smithfield Rd, Freshwater for close to a century. It has a girth of almost 5m and a canopy diameter of 30-40m, making it a significant tree.
I have had an arborist inspect this tree, which he found to be in good health...as did the arborist who made the report attached to this DA.

Freshwater is a green leafy suburb, with wide streets and substantial canopy cover. It is blessed with large shady trees, particularly along Old Smithfield Rd.

A tree of this age and size is a huge carbon soak, which in this era of increasing heat due to anthropogenic climate change, reducing or eliminating our carbon emissions is critical.

This Raintree also provides much needed shade at this critical juncture in our existence. Heat related illnesses are some of the most dangerous and particularly for the most vulnerable in our population: the young, the elderly(heat exhaustion and heat stroke) and those with chronic illness(Diabetes, Asthma & COPD, Heart and Kidney disease, Obesity). A tree of this size can reduce temperatures by 5-20 degrees and helps mitigate the sometimes disatrous effects of an overheated environment.

It is a vital component of our local ecosystem, and has an ecosytem of its own. Birds, insects, reptiles and small mammals all rely on this tree.

The building currently sited beneath it is rundown and the yard overgrown. The floor has been apparently damaged by the roots, but this points more to poor construction, than tree culpability. Assuming it will be demolished, a new dwelling can be constructed that is sympathetic to this tree; there are many architects who would jump at the opportunity to design such a house.

Regular maintenance is the key to any trees health and survival, long term: it involves pruning of any dead wood(of which there is little), trimming branches and mulching the base. Raintrees, by their very nature do not shed large branches.

This Raintree is an iconic significant tree, not only of Freshwater, but all of Cairns. It deserves respect for the silent sentinel, life giver and preserver of the suburb. For the owners of the property it is an inconvenience, but that is not a reason to cut it down.

Council in the past have shown respect for this Raintree, by constructing an elevated footpath over the roots and a garden bed at its base(which is currently overgrown).
It is incumbent on Council to help preserve such a significant tree. Too often we have experienced the felling of other significant trees in Freshwater due to a percieved "inconvenience".
It is a great opportunity for Council to step up and negotiate with the property owners to save this tree, not condemn it.