THERE’S a spot on the map of Bathurst called “Pine View Estate”.
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That’s how it’s described by real estate agents when they’re selling properties in the vicinity of McBrien Drive off the Limekilns road. The area was once the Sunbright orchard and still boasts the grand avenues of pine trees that were planted as windbreaks.
Now, residents of the area fear the pines may be removed as the old orchard site is transformed into a housing estate.
The Development Application (DA 2017/212) before Bathurst Regional Council includes a proposal to remove the existing mature trees and create new plantings for the estate. So, what’s the big deal about some big old pine trees?
What’s the big deal about some big old pine trees?
- DA before Bathurst Regional Council
The residents say that the trees provide habitat for a flock of black cockatoos. They point out that the surrounding area is rather treeless, as you can see if you go to the Google Maps satellite image.
They say the trees have taken decades to reach their full height, supporting a myriad of ecological “services” along the way.
It will take a long time for any new plantings to begin to approach the usefulness of the current pines to black cockatoos, other birds and animals, and local humans.
They love their pine trees. Some may be old and dangerous – and they’re happy for those to be removed.
But the corridor of trees behind McBrien drive is in a nice straight line: proposed housing developments could easily move a few metres to make room for them.
The residents are urging council to work around the trees rather than clearfell the site and start from scratch.
It’s true that the ideal time for residents to make their views known might have been a few years ago when the area was rezoned from agricultural to residential.
But the simple fact is that most people are not staying on top of planning documents years ahead of time. They tend to react when they see and hear the yellow machinery.
But it’s not just rampant NIMBYism at work here. It’s a genuine commitment to preserving the big trees of Bathurst, the ones that make this place a beautiful place to live.
The residents urge supporters to write to council to save the Pine View pines.