By MELISSA MEEHAN
AS THE sun rose over Emerald on Monday morning, crosses marked the would-be gravesites of the removed trees at Worrell Reserve.
Mystery surrounds where the crosses came from or who put them there, but those in town had no problem understanding their purpose.
One community member noted that she believed that the crosses may have been a memorial to the death of free speech and accountability, others said it could have been a memorial to the removed trees.
Cardinia Shire Council’s general manager of Corporate Services Derek Madden said a number of gum trees were planted without council authorisation at Emerald’s Worrell Reserve on Sunday.
“These trees were planted in the area from which Monterey cypress trees were recently removed, in order to prepare the site to become a Neighbourhood Safer Place-Place of Last Resport (NSP-PLR),” Mr Madden said.
“Timber structures resembling Christian crosses were also placed next to the gum trees.”
The council swiftly removed the gum trees and timber crosses on Monday morning.
“Gum trees are not a suitable species for a potential NSP-PLR.
“Also, as council has widely communicated previously, the ground in the area needs to rejuvenate until autumn next year, when trees from a more fire-resistant species will be planted there,” he said.
The CFA will soon undertake a radiant heat assessment of the potential NSP-PLR’s at Cockatoo Sports Complex and Worrell Recreation Reserve.
