At the last Tuross Head Progress Association meeting (of Feb 2nd) two of Council's senior design staff un-veiled Council’s plans for the upgrading of the Memorial Gardens precinct at Tuross Head.
These plans for the upgrade of the Memorial Gardens (and the encompassed recreational area), including the installation of new Council manufactured benches and picnic tables, were closely examined by the THPA members in attendance who are all in general agreement with what has been proposed, noting that the work is to be completed during the remainder of this FY16/17 works program. The two plans have been kindly provided by Eurobodalla Council for your perusal Overall Plan of proposed works Detail design of Proposed park benches and picnic tables.
The Secretary of the THPA has placed a copy of these plans on the Tuross Community Noticeboard at the Evans Road shopping centre for the information of the wider Tuross Head community. The THPA has also passed a copy of the plans to Trevor Jones, the President of the Memorial Gardens Committee who was most appreciative of what is on the drawing board.
Overall the design team is to be commended for their sympathetic work that will complement the overall ambience and public useability of this extremely popular area in Tuross Head.
That said, a number of THPA members made the comment that they felt that concrete footpaths would be more durable than the extant decomposed granite treated pathways however it has been advised by Council that the decomposed granite material will continue to be used as it poses much less of a threat to the root systems of the Norfolk Pine trees within Plantation Point, which are in the latter stages of the process to be protected by Heritage listing.
Whilst it is generally appreciated by those at the meeting that another monumental wall is needed due to the demand for a space to affix memorial plaques of departed loved ones, it is requested that planners ensure that the construction of further walls, both now and into the future, are sited eastwards towards the expanded embankment so that there is no risk of future interference with the heritage listed Norfolk Pines.
The majority of the 67 x THPA members in attendance nurtured the view that Council should also consider extending the decomposed pathway from the Memorial Gardens precinct in a south easterly direction to join the lone pine on Tarandore Point, as this is a heavily used foot path by fishers, beach goers and dog walkers using this route ‘around the clock’ to access the beachfront between Tarandore Point and One-Tree Point.
The only objection as such to the overall Plan is the Council’s proposed option to remove the self-seeded Norfolk Pine. The THPA has been approached by many citizens who are vehemently opposed to the loss of another Norfolk Pine, but especially this Pine as it complements the shore scape because of its unique positioning determined by nature. This tree is commonly known as the Miracle Tree as it has grown up among the rocks and has already survived an attempt to cut it down in the past, but like the Phoenix it has arisen. It is known that a number of relatives have sprinkled the cremated ashes of their departed loved ones around the tree due to its proximity to the Memorial Gardens which is becoming a popular memorial location.
The continued existence of the tree would not impact on the functionality of the Memorial Gardens or monuments walls, and it has been established by the THPA that Trevor Jones from the Memorial Gardens Committee has no objections to the reprieve of the “Lone Pine”.
To illustrate the viewpoint of the many Turossians who wish to LET THE TREE LIVE, John Tilbrook, Vice President of the Tuross Head Progress Assoc has provided three photographs of the Norfolk Pine that were taken on 3 Feb 17 by a THPA member, Maree Jackson, who is also a strong advocate for saving the tree.
Above: "The Miracle Tree that has been identified for removal as it isn't one of the original trees planted by Hector McWilliam and is a tenacious self sown tree thriving in harsh conditions and not worthy of remaining because it "doesn't fit in" in somebodies opinion." JT Photos by Maree Jackson
John Tilbrook told the THPA members and The Beagle "If you as individual members and residents of Tuross Head do not wish the Council to remove the lone Norfolk Pine on the rock foreshore of Plantation Point/Tarandore Point as described in our THPA response below, then I would urge you to send an email to the Eurobodalla Shire Council (council@esc.nsw.gov.au), attention Warren Sharpe (warren.sharpe@esc.nsw.gov.au). Just let them know you want to express your view, LET THE TREE LIVE. The deadline for comments is 3 March 2017. If the this Tree is cut down (as was the healthy big Norfolk Pine which was part of the original Hector McWilliam's pine plantation just because it happened to have lived too close to the Memorial Gardens memorial plaque walls), then we only have ourselves to blame for missing this vital opportunity to comment! Otherwise the chainsaws will once again do the talking for us! "
