Perth, Western Australia June 25, 2005 Home News Impressions This Week Letters Classifieds Search Submit Real Estate Trades & Services AboutUs Contact Us About Us Legal Production Rate Card Readership &  Distribution Subscribe	Chainsaws chew into heritage Mosman Park Norfolk Island pine hit by lightning. Lightning and chainsaws have hit Norfolk Island pine trees in Mosman Park and Cottesloe. In Cottesloe last week, two heritage-listed 100-year-old Norfolk Island pines in the grounds of Pine Lodge in John Street were cut with chainsaws, to the horror of nearby residents. The property is owned by mining entrepreneur Andrew Forrest, who remodelled the house and removed 11 big trees four years ago. Now only one tree and one bare trunk remain. A Heritage Council spokesman said Pine Lodge, including the trees, was on the state register of heritage properties - the highest rating. If legal action were taken, heavy penalties could apply to the property owners and the tree loppers. Stephen Tindale, Cottesloe council chief executive, said he went to the house on Thursday morning and asked Mrs Forrest to order the work to stop. One tree had been cut down at the rear of the property because its roots had been damaging the brick surround of a bin enclosure. Cottesloe heritage-listed pine hit by chainsaws And every branch had been cut from a tree near the street front, but work had halted because of heavy weather, he said. Mr Tindale said the property was listed on schedule 1 of the town planning scheme. That listing meant that written consent from the council was needed before any work could be done to alter buildings or trees on the property. Mr Tindale said: "This is not the first time. Eleven trees were removed in May 2000 and the council sent a letter advising that written consent was needed." Meanwhile, lightning destroyed a Norfolk Island pine in Mosman Park. Martyn Glover, Mosman Park's executive manager of technical services, said that, during last month's storms, low-lying cloud emitting sheet lightning hit the tree in Hope Street, Mosman Park. Sheet lightning, which affected a bigger area at a lower voltage than fierce fork lightning, struck the centre of the tree. The top of the tree died not long after, said local tree surgeon Murray Turner. He recommended the council waited until September to see if the tree could survive. BACK TO TOP < PREVIOUS - HOME - NEXT> Copyright © 1999 - 2006 Post Newspapers Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.