Sydney gardener fined almost $200,000 for removing 287 trees to improve harbourside mansion’s water views
A Sydney gardener has been fined $187,500 for illegally clearing 287 native trees from public land to improve the water views of a harbourside mansion. The court described the act as significant environmental vandalism that also damaged an Aboriginal midden.
Why it matters
This case highlights the legal consequences of environmental destruction for private gain and the importance of protecting public bushland and cultural heritage sites.
The native forest canopy that was cleared had stood since at least 1943 and included an ‘estuarine swamp oak endangered ecological community’. Photograph: supplied by Lane Cove council The native forest canopy that was cleared had stood since at least 1943 and included an ‘estuarine swamp oak endangered ecological community’. Photograph: supplied by Lane Cove council New South Wales Sydney gardener fined almost $200,000 for removing 287 trees to improve harbourside mansion’s water views Local council described incident as ‘worst act of environmental vandalism in Lane Cove history’
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Prefer the Guardian on Google It began with a gardener being hired to trim grass at a harbourside mansion in Sydney – and escalated to payments being left in a shoe for the unlawful felling of hundreds of native trees in protected bushland.
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