The recent storms have brought down many trees. This has been a regular occurrence for many years – see photos below from 1991 and 2025. The 30 m Blackbutt had a dual trunk. It would have been over 150 years old and had a circumference of about 5 m. There are other large old trees in this street that would have been part of the original Cumberland Forest. The tree split in two during the storm in January and had to be removed as the core was rotten.
In future years will we remember what has been lost? Loss from natural events is on top of the significant loss of trees that is occurring with the housing densification process and knockdown and rebuilds.
Street trees like these examples are being replaced with new plantings but it will take many years for them to provide the ecosystem functions of mature trees.
Tree damage January 2025
Pentecost Ave after the January 1991 super storm