Vandals attack Gardens oldest tree - Herald Sun

Vandals hacked at a fig tree in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne. Source: Supplied

VANDALS have struck at Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens for the second time in as many months, this time targeting the park’s oldest and most historically significant trees.

The garden's chief executive, Professor Tim Entwisle, said the overnight attack was more severe than last month’s because some of the trees affected were irreplaceable.

“It’s so hard to understand the thinking behind this senseless vandalism,” Prof Entwisle said.

He said three trees – the 400-year-old Separation Tree, a brush box planted by the Queen in 1954 and a spotted gum – were ringbarked, a potentially threatening act where a strip of bark is removed around the entire circumference of the tree trunk.

Prof Entwisle said he hoped the native trees would survive, but was particularly concerned about the Separation Tree because it was fragile after being similarly damaged in 2010.

He said the River Red gum tree, which marks where Victorian citizens gathered on 15 November 1850 to celebrate the separation of the state from New South Wales, is one of the most significant and beloved trees in the gardens.

“It’s an outrageous act, when somebody does this to such a distinguished tree, it’s very hard to understand and very hard to forgive,” he said.

Vandals hacked at a fig tree in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne. Source: Supplied

Prof Entwisle said there were axe marks on a number of smaller trees near the entrance at Alexandra Avenue and Anderson Street, as well as axe marks and a small burn mark on a large Taxodium tree.

Last month, vandals destroyed most of the garden’s cactus plants with an axe or machete in an overnight strike.

Prof Entwisle said the repeated attacks at the gardens, which are protected by locked gates and patrols at night, reinforced the need for increased security.

“The Botanic Gardens is not Fort Knox and I don’t think it ever should be,” he said.

He said the matter had been reported to Victoria Police, who would take charge of locating those responsible.