DRONE pictures of the Pilot Station Lookout at Camden Head clearly show both the progress being made on tidying the site and further evidence of suspected tree vandalism.
Drone photographer Matthew Doyle captured images of the site and the nearby Pilot Station following a story in last week’s News Of The Area.
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His images show a large tree at the bottom of the cutting, which was pictured green and healthy a month ago, but is now brown and dying.
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council (PMHC), which has been maintaining the site with the support of volunteers, is yet to confirm if it is the result of vandalism.
“Council is continuing its investigations into the matter”, a spokesperson could only confirm.
Glenn Brewer was the bush carer who found evidence of poison and chainsaw cuttings in the banksia.
“I believe the area of vegetation of the latest vandalism was left intact by Council as it had no effect on the view,” he told NOTA.
He also provided this explanation of what Matthew’s images show.
“The discolour on the ground in the area adjacent to the sand erosion is leaf litter and other dead material where trees were removed by PMHC.
“Next to the fence line, Council cleared or under-pruned to allow mowing to the fence, as the ongoing vegetation management will make this into a grassed zone.
“The path is planned to be next to the fence.”
Glenn noted that Council has not yet addressed the sand erosion.
“So it grows due to foot traffic, plus people walking on the edge of the loose sand. And there is likely erosion from high rainfall events.
“Lower down, the grass has covered some bare sand patches that occurred over the summer high traffic times.”
Councillor Nik Lipovac, who was vocal in his support of a staff management plan over a rescinded “Individual Stakeholder Plan” to clear the site, has appealed to the community to report the suspected bush vandals.
“Illegally improving views on private property for some kind of personal gain is unacceptable.
“I can only imagine this type of covert operation is being conducted at night, so I encourage locals who witness suspicious activity to report it to Council via – pmhc.nsw.gov.au/Report-an-issue – or phone the police.
“I would strongly encourage anyone involved in this type of behaviour to stop and reconsider their actions.”
By Sue STEPHENSON
