Residents call for council to hit “pause” on greening Roden St 

In a last-ditch effort to have the City of Melbourne reconsider its Roden St greening initiative, which will see several native trees replaced, a group of local residents is calling on the council to conduct further ecological studies. 

Under the current proposal, work on the Greening Roden Street Project will create an additional 1000 sqms of green space by planting 43 new trees and replacing 16 damaged or deteriorating trees.

However, resident Niall Maguire believes that removing 13 Bottlebrush trees is “unnecessary” and does not respect their cultural significance.

West Melbourne local Niall Maguire takes championing the cause of the Swift Parrot to a whole new level as he and others fight to save several native trees that the birds call home on Roden St. Photo: Hanna Komissarova.

Within a week of launching a petition urging the City of Melbourne to reconsider its approach to greening the street, Mr Maguire has gathered more than 100 signatures, but works are still set to commence in the coming weeks.

When developing the Roden Street Greening proposal, the City of Melbourne engaged Tree Dimensions as an independent arborist in September 2022 to conduct an arboricultural assessment of all public trees.

The arborist found that many of the Bottlebrush trees have a short useful life expectancy due to their health, structural condition, and damage from sawfly larvae, concluding that removing and replacing them would improve the streetscape.

However, Mr Maguire told North West City News that he was concerned an environmental impact statement (EIS) was not conducted and that the project should be paused to ensure the local ecosystem was not irreversibly damaged.

“The proposed planting of new trees means we will get ‘small saplings’ in reality. Small saplings take time to mature,” he said. “A few new saplings were planted on Roden St a few years ago by the council, but they are not growing at all, and some have already died.”

Mr Maguire believes that the studies that have been conducted do not go far enough in determining the impact that the changes will have on endangered wildlife such as the Swift Parrot, suggesting that an ornithologist should be brought in to conduct further research. 

Another key concern for the local activist is the planting of 10 new Chinaberry trees, a deciduous species that produces a potent insecticide containing a neurotoxin that can be harmful to dogs if ingested.

Grassroots non-profit organisation Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR) has also raised concerns about the proposal, citing the trees’ significant heritage and environmental value.

“The Bottlebrush, specifically the red weeping variety known as Callistemon, is a culturally significant tree that holds profound importance in the traditions of First Nations peoples,” an ANTaR spokesperson said.

The Callistemon plays a vital role in supporting rich biodiversity within Australian ecosystems. As a key component of local ecosystems, this tree provides essential nourishment to native birds and insects, including bees, which are drawn to the sweet, delicious nectar of its flowers.

The City of Melbourne has confirmed that as part of its tree removal process, measures will be taken to minimise impacts on local fauna.

“If habitat structures such as hollows are found, an ecologist will assess the site and determine how to proceed,” a City of Melbourne spokesperson said.

This means that in cases where fauna is present, tree works may be postponed to avoid disturbing animals, and alternative habitat structures such as nesting boxes may be installed nearby.

Community engagement for the project took place in 2023, with the proposal receiving support from more than 90 per cent of respondents. The project is expected to be completed by July 2025. •