WHEN Carlene Timbs saw the massive tree that council had refused to remove from in front of a house in Bomaderry, she was stunned.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mrs Timbs’ husband Gordon was killed when a tree fell on their home near Nowra Hill 12 years ago.
Shoalhaven City Council had previously rejected his application to remove the tree.
The ensuing high-profile court case resulted in council paying about $750,000 in damages.
“I saw the story about the tree in front of the house in Lyndhurst Avenue, Bomaderry, and thought I would drive to the street and see if I could find it,” Mrs Timbs said.
“When we turned into the street I saw it straight away and my heart was in my mouth.
“It was déjà vu, I could not believe what I was seeing,” she said.
The tree is on council land but leans at an angle toward Steve Parker’s house.
Mr Parker said he went through the right channels, applied for the removal and was told he would need to have an environmental assessment performed on the tree – an assessment he said he had been told council could reject.
He said council staff inspected the tree and decided that because it was healthy they would not remove it.
Mrs Timbs said she couldn’t believe council would take the risk after what happened to her family.
“When I read the story in the paper my eyes filled up with tears – it was very similar to our story,” she said.
“What Mr Parker was saying council told him was the same as what they said to us.
“We were told that council deemed the trees we wanted to remove as safe. “We were told we would be fined if we cut them down.
“It was a real threat,” she said.
“It’s very sad they’re doing this again – sad that our council hasn’t learnt in 12 years.
“Let’s not hit the papers again with another tragedy.
“At the end of the day whose life will it affect to take it out?
“People from council go to bed and don’t worry about sleeping under that tree.”
Mrs Timbs said she felt like “marching down to Mayor Paul Green and taking him for a look”.
“I put my hand up to be counted over this. I can’t sit back and do nothing.
“If that tree comes down it will go through the house and into their back yard,” she said.
