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A pine tree which dropped a large branch last Wednesday in the Nowra CBD hitting a woman has been removed.
The Cupressus mcacrocarpa (Monterey Cyprus) was located on Shoalhaven City Council land in Schofield Lane, in front of the Paceway Cafe.
St George Basin woman Jenny Nielsen was on her lunch break, walking along the footpath near the Stewart Place bus terminal at around 12.30pm when the branch crashed to the ground striking her and a parked car.
Mrs Nielsen was trapped under a fallen tree limb, suffering a dislocated ankle, broken leg and bruising. She was due to be operated on Tuesday.
Council moved quickly to remove the remainder of the tree, with contractors undertaking the work on Sunday morning, so as to not interrupt shopping and traffic movements in the area, especially the many buses which come in and out of the nearby terminal.
Shoalhaven Mayor Amanda Findley said the loss of the large limb compromised the health whole tree and it had to be removed.
“The tree is on council land. Some limbs have been removed from the tree previously as part of council’s maintenance program,” Cr Findley said.
“Council regularly undertake tree inspections. If residents have any concerns about trees that are located on council land, they should contact council to have them inspected.
“I wish the injured lady a speedy recovery.”
She said council would review its records to find any history of the tree.
Jayanne Robertson, who runs the Paceway Cafe, said the difference to the business with the tree gone had been incredible.
“We have so much light now,” she said.
“People can actually see there is a cafe here now.
“Our view is certainly a lot better.”
She said last Wednesday’s accident could have been much worse.
“We were right in the middle of lunch and thankfully the coaches had made their drop offs and people were in ordering when the branch came down,” she said.
“We just heard a crash and the noise of the branch coming down and then screams from the woman who was trapped.”
Mrs Robertson and her husband went outside, and along with other bystanders, helped remove branches from the trapped woman.
Although having witnessed one “smaller” branch fall in the three years they have run the business, Mrs Robertson said there had been other issues around the tree.
“Council have always kept the tree pretty well trimmed. But its roots have been pushing up pavers in the area and one woman fell about three months ago, suffering a broken finger,” she said.
“We don’t know what they [council] will be doing with the remainder of the stump.
“Perhaps if it just left there we could paint it up and use it as a table.
“The tree was pretty old. I don’t know how everything was just built around it. But with council looking to improve and beautify the CBD, perhaps its removal might have happened anyway?”
She said the now clearer, more open view might also lessen the chances of the business being a target of thieves.
“We have suffered three break-ins since we have been here and police told us the tree certainly blocked the view of the cafe which made it an easier target,” she said.
Berry man moved just before branch crashed to the ground
Berry man Chris Hutchinson considers himself one of the luckiest men alive.
The 80-year-old was sitting on a bench directly under the tree just seconds before the branch came crashing down.
“I was on one end of the bench and a woman was on the other,” he said.
“We both heard a sharp crack and thought the planks on the bench were giving way.
“I looked up and the twigs above us were quivering. I said I think we had better get up and move and honestly it would have only been two or three seconds and the branch crashed down.
“Unfortunately, it hit one pedestrian - I didn't see that happen as I had my back to the tree at that point.
“If we waited 10 seconds more it could have been us. I don’t know how badly we could have been hurt if we stayed there. The branch crashed right onto the seat.
“It’s nice to know even as you get older you still have luck on your side.”
He said the sound of the branch snapping was similar to the crack of a rifle shot.
“It was a sharp crack,” he said.
Mr Hutchinson said it was a shame the tree had to be removed.
“Like a lot of retirees from Berry I catch the community bus into Nowra. I often sat under that big old tree waiting for the bus and the return trip,” he said “it was a lovely shade tree and a good shelter for us oldies when it was raining.
“I’d sit there and admire the wonderful Arthur Boyd mural.”