Machattie Park is steeped in history with plantings dating back to 1890.

One of the original trees in the park is a bunya pine. However, it’s misbehaving at the moment.

It produces huge cones at this time of year and when they come falling down it’s a matter of ducking for cover.

Bathurst Regional Council’s parks staff aren’t taking any risks with the missiles that come from the canopy of the giant pine and have cordoned off the area in the interests of public safety.

Robert Wootton knows only too well the pine cone dilemma. As the parks’ superintendent he’s been dealing with the problem for years.

“It’s that time of year again,” he said yesterday. “We’ve got two old bunya pines in Machattie Park, one near the Crago Foundation which is fine. It’s the other one on the George Street side which is dropping the cones.

“Things haven’t been that bad though. Most of the cones are shattering into pieces before smaller pieces drop to the ground, but there’s some big ones still intact up near the top that we’re worried about.

“You wouldn’t want to get cleaned up by one of them when it falls. They are as big as bowling balls.”

Mr Wootton said cordoning off the tree is their only option.

“We’ll be keeping people away from there until we don’t see any pieces of the cones on the ground for at least a couple of weeks,” he said.

Mr Wootton said the bunya pine is a native of Queensland.

“They acclimatise very well though,” he said. “Just because they come from a different climate doesn’t mean they won’t do well here.

“You only have to look how big and healthy they are to realise this.”