Unusual Experience - a tree fell down

[handyandy]

As per my heading, today a tree (which has been dead for some time) decided to come down.

About 10 minutes prior to the tree falling we heard a load twang like a large stick breaking.

A couple of kookaburras were disturbed by this sound and it made me look up. I just put the noise down to the kookaburras being very energetic with a catch, thumping it on a tree branch.

My son made a comment about 'a tree may fall down' and walked away but I was still looking and then, sure enough, the tree just broke at the bottom (termites) and went straight down then went over and down the hill. Very interesting to watch.

This is the 3rd tree that has come down but the first I saw.

We had one come down from the neighbors yard across our yard some years ago which was still green and growing. There were high winds during the night and I heard a thud but had no way of knowing that a tree had fallen. When I examined the stump it had been termited.

This is all in the bush part (about 1/3 ) of our block so all it does is fall on other bushed and scrub.

Cheers

 

[topcropper]

Eucalyptus trees sometimes start to fall over in a drought. It's been very dry in our parts now for 4 months as we all know. Just need some rain.


See ya's.

 

[travelbug]

Do people go in there? If so I'd be wanting council to inspect the remaining trees. Very dangerous if you happen to be walking there at the time one decides to fall.

 

[lizzie]

They don't call gums "widow makers" for nothing. Ironbarks are especially dangerous.

Same as Topcropper - we haven't had any decent rain for over 4 months and just waiting for some major limb falls due to stress.

Considering the amount of termite damage - have you had your house checked recently?

 

[Peter_Tersteeg]

Given that you heard it, it obviously happened. Now if only I could figure out what the sound of one hand clapping is?

Our property is surrounded by gum trees and we want to develop. We're currently negotiating to be allowed to remove 2 trees (council won't let you touch any established native), both of which are growing at a 45 degree (or greater) angle and will eventually drop of their own accord.

The other objection is that our upper floor window will be able to see into the neighbours bedroom, 35 metres away, council guideline is 9 metres. If felt like assuring her that under no circumstances would anybody in their right mind want to deliberately look into their bedroom - scared for life!

 

[DaveM]

I used to live in an apartment block in Killara which had a large gum on the front boundary line (half on ours half on council) which was a terminal branch dropper.

Dropped limbs on power lines, cars, onto pedestrians, onto the road (which was a busy one) blocking a lane of the Pacific Hwy regularly.

Kuringai Council, being the tree huggers, refused to allow us to remove it, eventually allowed us to prune it but of course refused to contribute anything for the pruning costs despite most of the issues being on the council/footpath/road overhang side.

After pruning wood out it still continued to drop branches onto everything and everyone, our own arborist wrote a report saying the tree was very sick and should be removed as it was a severe danger to safety, council sent someone out who said it was in perfect health and believed that dropping 4 branches and 2 limbs a month was normal.

The insurer got wind of the tree issue after a resident made a claim for a branch dropped on the roof of their car and premiums for liability tripled. Council were more interested in keeping the tree than in the safety of people and property.

 

[Aaron_C]

Our property is surrounded by gum trees and we want to develop. We're currently negotiating to be allowed to remove 2 trees (council won't let you touch any established native), both of which are growing at a 45 degree (or greater) angle and will eventually drop of their own accord.

Erm, copper nails anyone?

 

[kathryn d]

The insurer got wind of the tree issue after a resident made a claim for a branch dropped on the roof of their car and premiums for liability tripled. Council were more interested in keeping the tree than in the safety of people and property.

Could you (or your scary lawyer ) write a letter to council stating that if you get sued because of this tree, you will be suing them, because you have already asked for permission to remove this danger, and was denied?

 

[lizzie]

Erm, copper nails anyone?

Nah - gotta be more subtle otherwise you'd get fined.

I found digging down to some deeper roots - make a cut - pour in some undiluted roundup - cover back up - works a treat.

 

[handyandy]

Nah - gotta be more subtle otherwise you'd get fined.

I found digging down to some deeper roots - make a cut - pour in some undiluted roundup - works a treat.

Or getting a big ladder and drilling into the higher branches that can't be examined. Same result. Two weeks from green to brown. Problem is that the brown leaves take forever to drop of.

Cheers

 

[wobbycarly]

I used to live in an apartment block in Killara which had a large gum on the front boundary line (half on ours half on council) which was a terminal branch dropper.

Dropped limbs on power lines, cars, onto pedestrians, onto the road (which was a busy one) blocking a lane of the Pacific Hwy regularly.

Kuringai Council, being the tree huggers, refused to allow us to remove it, eventually allowed us to prune it but of course refused to contribute anything for the pruning costs despite most of the issues being on the council/footpath/road overhang side.

After pruning wood out it still continued to drop branches onto everything and everyone, our own arborist wrote a report saying the tree was very sick and should be removed as it was a severe danger to safety, council sent someone out who said it was in perfect health and believed that dropping 4 branches and 2 limbs a month was normal.

The insurer got wind of the tree issue after a resident made a claim for a branch dropped on the roof of their car and premiums for liability tripled. Council were more interested in keeping the tree than in the safety of people and property.

We had a gum on our nature strip that we 'didn't like'. I rang the council suggesting that it was dangerous. (And it was - it was a V-shape from very low, as it had been trimmed previously to avoid power lines.)

Anyway, after about 3 days, an arborist came around and agreed it was dangerous. 1 week later, the council guys were here to remove it. And remove it they did! Even grinding out the stump. Best call I ever made.

 

[grantwhit]

Given that you heard it, it obviously happened. Now if only I could figure out what the sound of one hand clapping is?

Our property is surrounded by gum trees and we want to develop. We're currently negotiating to be allowed to remove 2 trees (council won't let you touch any established native), both of which are growing at a 45 degree (or greater) angle and will eventually drop of their own accord.

maybe give it a bit of a hand if its already 45 degrees, it'll look like the wind caught hold of it