Trees get the chop: 'Failed' decision turns city's gateway into a desert

The red flowering gums will be replaced with a "more suitable species" - a coastal banksia.

Chief executive officer Andrew Mason said the flowering gums had not proven to be a suitable tree species in that location and were in poor health.

Mayor Ben Blain said it was really interesting how the red flowering gums ended up along Bayan Street.

He said on November 2018 the council began consultation with residents which included four options - Norfolk Island Pines, coastal banksia, brush box and fan palm.

The red flowering gum was not one of the four options.

"It was interesting, because after all that consultation and everything council actually resolved to go to the red flowering gums," he said.

"And we can see why it wasn't one of the options now because if you look up Banyan Street now, it looks like a desert. There's not a lot of trees up there.

"So I am hopeful that the coastal banksia are going to have a way better effect and going to look way nicer on Banyan Street and maybe won't look like so much of a desert."

Cr Vicki Jellie said the red flowering gums planted in the centre of the median strip "failed" for quite a few reasons.

"They've been in poor condition, perhaps disease and most disturbingly vandalism which is very disappointing," she said.

She said hopefully the new species would flourish. "It is a popular street to go down if you are coming into town for a holiday," Cr Jellie said.

Cr Richard Ziegeler said it was a shame the eucalypts didn't take very well. "They've struggled a bit, not only because it's an exposed area but also because of the vandalism," he said.

He said he hoped the choice of a banksia avoided some of those problems.

"It's always a battle and I find it a difficulty when removing trees but in this case I think it's a wise choice because we've got something that'll probably thrive," he said.

Cr Debbie Arnott said the cost to the council to supply and plant the trees was included in the council's annual tree planting program. "So it is a budgetted cost," she said.

Cr Max Taylor said when he travelled down Banyan Street he was dismayed to see the number of original eucalpts that had survived. "It would be no more than a handful," he said.

Cr Taylor said the sooner the banksia trees were planted the better.

"Tourists who come to Warrnambool travel down Banyan Street...this has to happen as soon as possible," he said.

Councillors voted unanimously to replace the trees on Banyan Street.