General News
20 July, 2026
Tree protection moves
THE Tree Action Group (TAG) is calling on Cairns Regional Council to strengthen protections for mature urban trees following the removal of the Freshwater raintree and a series of proposed tree removals across the city.
The group has written to Mayor Amy Eden and every councillor outlining seven recommended reforms to the CairnsPlan 2016 vegetation management code, arguing current planning rules do not adequately protect significant trees.
TAG was formed under the umbrella of the Cairns and Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC) after the removal of a fig tree from Le Grande Park, Freshwater, in August 2024.
The latest submission follows the removal of the Freshwater raintree and ongoing concerns about proposed removals of mature trees on Hoare Street, Pease Street and a large fig tree on Minnie Street.
Tree Action Group founding member Paul Matthews said the Freshwater raintree had highlighted broader issues with tree protection across Cairns.
“The Freshwater raintree became a focal point for the community, but it reflects a wider issue of mature tree loss across Cairns,” Mr Matthews said.
“Our community has been rocked by its removal. It has demonstrated our apparent powerlessness in the face of a planning system that does not adequately protect significant trees.”
Mr Matthews said about 30 mature trees were proposed for removal at the former Cairns Villa and Leisure Park site on Hoare Street.
“TAG was formed to defend threatened trees, but also to work towards long-term reform. We’ve now provided the Mayor and councillors with seven practical recommendations to strengthen the vegetation management code and better protect Cairns’ mature urban canopy.”
The recommendations include establishing a significant tree register covering public and private land, strengthening assessment criteria for significant tree removal, improving community notification and consultation and ensuring the planning scheme better recognises the environmental, social and community value of mature trees.
Founding member Brynn Mathews said the Hoare Street proposal demonstrated the need for planning decisions to better recognise the ecological value of established trees.
“These trees don’t just provide shade for people. They provide critical habitat for wildlife. Council’s own monitoring has recorded more than 3000 endangered spectacled flying foxes using this site, including maternity and nursery trees.”
TAG member and local GP Dr Nicole Sleeman said mature trees should be treated as public health infrastructure.
“Our planning scheme must recognise that green infrastructure is public health infrastructure,” Dr Sleeman said.
“Heat is an increasingly dangerous health hazard in our already hot climate. We rely on canopy cover to help reduce heat risk and heat-related illness across the Cairns community.”
The campaign will continue with ‘Loved and Lost: The Freshwater Raintree in Pictures’, a photographic exhibition featuring the work of Brian Cassey, Kerry Trapnell and John Westaway. The exhibition, at Narrow Tracks Distilling, was officially opened by Costa Georgiadis, host of ABC TV’s ‘Gardening Australia’.
