General News
23 July, 2025
Beloved tree faces chop
A BELOVED raintree in the heart of Freshwater is at the centre of a growing community campaign, with locals urging Cairns Regional Council to reject a development application that seeks to remove it.
The Samanea saman at 51 Old Smithfield Road, opposite Freshwater State School, has a canopy that stretches more than 40m. Locals describe the tree as both iconic and vital to the suburb’s character and liveability.
“This tree is critical,” said Paul Matthews, a former president of the Stratford and Freshwater Community Association (SAFCA) and member of the Tree Action Group. “It reduces ground temperature by up to 20 degrees, provides habitat, absorbs stormwater and captures carbon from a busy road. In an age of increasing heat, we need our shade trees more than ever,” he said.
The tree’s removal has been requested by the current property owner, who claims it has caused significant structural damage to the home and made it uninhabitable. According to a planning report submitted to council, the dwelling has experienced foundation movement, wall cracking and chronic mould due to lack of sunlight and ventilation.
An independent arborist confirmed the tree is in good health. However, the report argues that its proximity to the house and extensive root system pose ongoing risks to both the property and nearby public infrastructure. Alternative mitigation methods, such as root pruning or canopy reduction, were deemed impractical or unsafe. The arborist concluded that removal was the “most feasible and responsible course of action.”
But community members, including SAFCA’s current secretary Helen Simpson, believe there is a better way.
“We’re not against development,” she said.
“But we believe the house can be redesigned to coexist with the tree. Move it back, build around it. This tree doesn’t just provide shade, it manages water, filters carbon and supports hundreds of birds.”
Ms Simpson also raised concern about the long-term environmental impacts of removal, including potential damage to surrounding infrastructure as the tree’s extensive root system begins to decay. “It’s like an iceberg, what’s underground matters just as much as what we see,” she said.
The land is located on a corner block with some of the root flare extending into council-managed space. SAFCA has suggested the council consider acquiring the land to extend nearby parkland, creating a public green space.
