Council to replace Melbourne's trees with exotic species - The Age

Elms lining St Kilda Road. Photo: Pat Scala

Melbourne's beloved tree-lined streets are under threat from the city's creeping hot, dry weather.

Inner-city soil is notably dry after an unusually hot autumn and Melbourne City Council will consider taking the unusual step of watering its trees this winter to help steel them for the year ahead, environment councillor Arron Wood said.

Streetscapes with their familiar mix of elm and plane trees are set to change, as workers plant 3000 drought-resistant trees from around the world this season.

Some of the avenues of trees in Fitzroy Gardens had suffered during the last drought and would soon need to be replaced, as would trees lining St Kilda Road, according to the council.