A second tree on Halswell St smashed through this property’s fence damaging the owner’s shed. Photo/ John Anderson
A second oak tree has fallen on to a Halswell St property in just one week— with property owners revealing the multiple tree complaints they lodged with Whanganui District Council.
Halswell St resident John Anderson said he went outside after hearing a big gust of wind on Saturday to find the bulk of a tree had ended up in his backyard.
A neighbour who heard the tree fall on to Anderson’s property said it “sounded like a car crash”.
The tree smashed through Anderson’s new fence and gate, which had just been completed before Christmas, and damaged his work shed.
“We’d only just put it up and now it’s in pieces; it’s a bit frustrating.”
On January 31, an oak tree fell on to Aropeta Sullivan’s neighbouring property damaging his ute, front fence and drainpipe, as well as blocking off the front entrance to his house.
John Anderson’s wife, Di Anderson, said if the tree had fallen on any other day somebody could have easily been killed.
“My husband could have been killed because it came straight into our garden where he had been working earlier during the day.”
When approached for comment about the two fallen trees, the council said a full inspection of the Halswell St oaks was planned for Wednesday.
“A decision will be made by the arborist on the two trees in question, which may involve removal if required,” said Sarah O’Hagan, general manager community, property and places.
Di Anderson said she had written to the council in 2002 and then 2013 to express her worries over the management of the trees.
In her 2013 letter, she opposed adding the Halswell St oaks to the District Plan because she had become “increasingly concerned about the deteriorating condition of these trees”.
In storms, substantial branches regularly fell on to the street. In some cases whole trees had toppled over, she wrote.
“It is only luck that this situation has not yet resulted in serious injury to people, or significant damage to property.
“This is a popular and busy walking street, for older people, families, children from local early childcare centres and schools.”
John Anderson said the whole balance of the trees was “radically altered” by the council’s policies.
He said the trees used to be regularly debulked and trimmed, but this had stopped after aerial bungy cables replaced power lines in the street.
The council had stopped cutting the overhanging branches on properties and only trimmed the side of the trees blocking the avenue.
O’Hagan said that over the past week Whanganui had experienced high winds, resulting in this branch coming away from the main trunk.
Both of the oaks that fell were last inspected by the council in October last year.
The same results were found for both trees: “The tree had good form and condition and was healthy, with no outward indication of any weaknesses in the branch that failed.”
Di Anderson said she had been planning to write a third letter to the council about the condition of the tree that fell.
She had noticed the tree’s leaf cover had been forming later than the other oaks on the street.
“We’d been watching this particular tree get sicker and sicker.”
The trees are both more than 120 years old and are protected due to their historical significance.
John Anderson said he was not against protecting the trees but that the protection of people needed to be given a higher degree of recognition by the council.
Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.