Thread: What a waste... Campher in NSW

Sadly councils have gone down the path of being scared of anything that can bring about a law suit, and with that comes an increase in public liability which they'd rather not pay. In Brisbane for a short while it killed off cake sales at fetes in one instance I know of, until the decision was reversed.

A similar story to yours ad more in line with this thread is the moreton bay figs they cut down near to corner of Petrie Terrace and Musgrave Road, Brisbane.

Suffice to say it me off.

Public liability and over zealous councils with OHS means I can't go within cooee of any machinery (even if not running) or in reality my FIL's shed on his beef farm. Thankfully he disregards the shed bit.

Originally Posted by Starmage

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It was even worse that when we went over we found out they'd turned the whole lot into pulp to spread over the garden and not a cut of timber to be found....
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At least it got used for mulch so it didn't go completely to waste like it does up on the north coast. Landcare are paying the cockies up there get rid of any camphor trees on their properties so they just drop them and leave them to rot - just not enough woodies around to use it all I suppose

The fact they were cutting them down surprises me and it's a shame that they have done that in the first place (do people really sue because they get hit by a falling tree branch?).

would you really sue if a tree branch fell on you ,or flattened your car ?,i think we all know the answer to that.unfortunately that's the way things are now ,if you grow big trees you have to be responsible for them should they cause any damage, and yes it is a shame to mulch them ,but they are a noxious plant as well i suppose.bob

Liability problems may be just one issue which led to their removal. Camphor is classed as a noxious weed on most of the East coast so that might be another reason for it. It is a pity that they got mulched and not grabbed by woodies but that is pretty standard anywhere nowadays. Wondering if there would be issues with the mulch from Camphor on the garden beds though?

Originally Posted by corbs

Liability problems may be just one issue which led to their removal. Camphor is classed as a noxious weed on most of the East coast so that might be another reason for it. It is a pity that they got mulched and not grabbed by woodies but that is pretty standard anywhere nowadays. Wondering if there would be issues with the mulch from Camphor on the garden beds though?

I was thinking the same thing. I thought the fact nothing would grow under a camphor except another camphor was one of the reasons it was classified as a weed. Wouldn't using it as mulch have much the same effect (poisoning the soil)?

Originally Posted by switt775

I was thinking the same thing. I thought the fact nothing would grow under a camphor except another camphor was one of the reasons it was classified as a weed. Wouldn't using it as mulch have much the same effect (poisoning the soil)?

Nothing grows under gum trees as they drop the eycaliptus (sorry about the spelling), oil so that tthey get all the water etc. Does this mean that they are a weed to???

Regards
Jamie

Originally Posted by Jarrahrules

Nothing grows under gum trees as they drop the eycaliptus (sorry about the spelling), oil so that tthey get all the water etc. Does this mean that they are a weed to???

Regards
Jamie

Given that they are a native species, they are probably exempted. For now...

Hi all. Got heaps growing under my 15+ metre Camphor. I know it is a declared noxious weed given that it germinates easily from seed but when it's one of the largest trees in the area I think it deserves a go. As for liability problems I can say that in the 23years i've had custody of this one there has been nothing fall from it that may be called deadly. Maybe councils should start advising groups like here when a tree has to come down for any reason to give the thing an opportunity for an afterlife other than mulch.

Originally Posted by Jarrahrules

Nothing grows under gum trees as they drop the eycaliptus (sorry about the spelling), oil so that tthey get all the water etc. Does this mean that they are a weed to???

Regards
Jamie

Originally Posted by switt775

Given that they are a native species, they are probably exempted. For now...

....at least while they're on our shores. Our eucalypts planted in countries such as Africa have become a serious bio-threat and our good old black wattle makes the worlds "Top 10 Worst invasive species" list and our paperbark is in the top 100 too All good if they're left where they belong

Originally Posted by TTIT

....at least while they're on our shores. Our eucalypts planted in countries such as Africa have become a serious bio-threat and our good old black wattle makes the worlds "Top 10 Worst invasive species" list and our paperbark is in the top 100 too All good if they're left where they belong

I can recall in recent times fierce fires in Greece and California that can be attributed to our Eucalyptus exports. Leave 'em where they belong and no harm done.

Sadly, this has very little to do with Councils.....more to do with their insurance companies. The only way to keep the premiums down is to have an overly zealous approach to risk assessment. So good trees get levelled....

As for Camphor Laurel........great timber but lousy tree. Not much more than a fragrant willow! A weed of State Significance in NSW and way too easy to spread around. Nothing much native can or does live in it or off it and their sheer size and coverage means they shade out anything native that might be an alternative.......the more of them that end up as furniture timber the better. And if not furniture then mulch...so do Australia a favour and hook in!

The only thing to do in this regard is to get in contact with the tree fellers and ask for some to be put aside
This headsup resulted in me managing to find out whom the site manager was and a phone call resulted in them putting aside six logs for me - got to slice them up today. The rest was mulched.
The chaps with the chainsaws were very interested in what I wanted it for, and only too happy to oblige. And I'm pretty chuffed meself

Found a bit more info about this the other day...

Turns out someone nearly got hit by a branch from this particular tree after some of the storms we've been having in Sydney.

I also found out, rather sadly, that the mulch isn't actually being used for the garden but has now been distributed into the premises green bins to be dumped.

Oh and this was a private property, not council.