General News
29 November, 2025
Raintree protest heats up
A GROUP of Freshwater residents has held their second community protest, attempting to stop the removal of a mature raintree at 51 Old Smithfield Rd.
Resident Shelley Wallace, who has lived in Freshwater for 15 years, said she only learned of the planned removal on Monday last week.
“We hadn't heard anything about any development or anything happening in the area,” she said. “There was no signage. There was no indication that this was going ahead.”
Ms Wallace said residents had written letters to Cairns Regional Council, launched a petition on the Freshwater and Stratford Facebook page and were encouraging locals to contact their elected representatives.
She said the group was also seeking a meeting with council CEO Ken Gouldthorp.
“If we don't get a meeting with the CEO, we're going to be holding the protest at the council,” she said.
The property was sold in May 2025 and residents say an application to remove the raintree was lodged the following month.
Ms Wallace said council officers had told residents the tree’s removal was “done and dusted” and that “the tree must go.”
A council spokeswoman said the council approved the removal of the raintree on the private property at Freshwater following detailed arborist, structural and engineering assessments.
She said the extensive root system had caused major, irreparable structural damage to the existing house, including slab movement.
