A CONCERNED resident has raised the alarm after five mature Australian native trees, estimated to be between 70 to 80 years old, were recently cut down in Red Hill South by a power company. Ron Slocombe was shocked to find the towering Angophora trees (also known as salmon gums) felled along a road reserve on Thomas Rd in August without community consultation.
“They are hardy resilient trees not known for dropping limbs or causing hazards,” he said. “Mornington Peninsula Shire council has tagged a number of these trees as specimens of significance, in a grove that extends along the lower north aspect of the road reserve along Thomas Rd, Red Hill South. The destruction done to the five trees that were felled is irreversible, but we are hoping that a commitment from United Energy to consult with council and independent arborists might prevent further felling of trees from this grove.”
United Energy (UE) confirmed its contractors had removed the trees along Thomas Rd in early August. A UE spokesman said the work was carried out to “avoid them falling onto the power network and causing an unplanned outage.” “All of these were assessed and rated by a qualified arborist in accordance with our hazard tree assessment procedure,” the spokesman said. “We are assessing the health of more trees along Thomas Rd and their potential to impact community power reliability.”
Slocombe said he and others understood that maintenance of power lines required tree pruning or removal to reduce risks, but the advice they had received indicated that the situation in question “vastly over-estimates any risk.” “In addition, both council representatives and the subcontractor told us that United Energy seeks to classify trees as high risk so that they are not obliged to notify councils to fell them, and it is financially advantageous to fell trees rather than put them on a maintenance pruning cycle,” he said. “We understand other significant trees on the peninsula have been removed by energy companies without input from independent arborists or the council.”
The shire said in a statement that its tree management team “observed” the United Energy works being carried out on 15 August. “UE doesn’t have an accountability to the shire, only to the regulator Energy Safe Victoria and they work under the Electricity Safety (electric line clearance) Regulations 2020, which has planning permits exemption for electrical safety,” it said. “Any concerns should be raised with United Energy directly, or if dissatisfied, refer to ESV.”
Slocombe said residents had contacted the shire and “discovered that they were completely unaware of any program of tree removal along Thomas Rd.” “Consultation between power companies and the council is expected prior to any pruning or felling, especially with trees designated as significant and this did not take place,” he said.
Slocombe added they had sought advice from a senior arborist, and his report indicated that the trees felled were probably between 70 to 80 years old and “had no evidence of disease in the logs that were left on the road reserve.” According to the independent arborist’s report, it noted “the current loss of several significant trees (one very large), and the potential loss of another is considered disappointing, particularly given the sensitive nature of the area.” “In addition, the apparent lack of transparency and consultation in regard to the works, and the clear differences in opinion in relation to the hazard assessment determination, is a cause for concern,” it said.
Slocombe said the arborist did point out that some of the trees were infected with bracket fungus, “but was of the opinion that this did not cause any immediate danger.” He added there were also “ironies associated with this mess” as next to the salmon gums were giant pine trees that remained untouched and represented a far greater risk.
Slocombe said the remaining salmon gums had been scheduled for destruction despite having healthy uniform foliage, and no dead limbs. “We and shire council representatives have tried to communicate with United Energy, in the hope that other trees marked for destruction can be saved.”
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 3 September 2025
