Brisbane council has an ‘absolutely ridiculous’ plan to cut jacaranda trees
It’s jacaranda season and seas of purple flowers are popping up all over Sydney and Brisbane.
“It’s such a beautiful site and so iconic,” says Chris Smith.
Many people mistake the trees as native to Australia, when in fact they’re native to Central America.
But apparently, Brisbane City Council disagrees with their beauty.
They’ve blacklisted the jacaranda trees in some part some the city as weeds.
Several trees have already been removed from bushland in Brisbane’s south-east.
“I wonder if you’ve noticed council workers removing jacaranda trees near you recently?” ask Chris.
“If anything we should be celebrating jacaranda trees… you shouldn’t be killing them.”
Chris says he’s heard theories about the purple-flowered trees, one being that they were given to grieving widows after WWII.
Another suggests that on Sydney’s lower north shore they were planted to mark the birth of a child.
Listen John then called and gave some truth to the theory, telling Chris there was a doctor who would give mothers a jacaranda tree to plant every time he delivered a baby.
Click PLAY below to hear John’s call below
Labor’s Brisbane Mayoral candidate for the 2020 council election Rod Harding is speaking out against the decision.
“I grew up with them,” he tells Chris.
“I just can’t believe that Lord Mayor, he said they’re weeds. Ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous!
“The Lord Mayor is so out of touch that he thinks we need to eradicate them.”
Mr Harding says the council is worried about seeds getting waterways and spreading.
“This is just a made up problem.”
Click PLAY below to hear the full interview