Stepping way out of Mville, today we visit my hometown of Newcastle, where there is a fierce battle underway over the fate of the famous Laman St figs, one of Newcastle's most beautiful features. Laman St is Newcastle's "cultural precinct", the location of the regional library and art gallery, and the gorgeous cathedral arch formed by the trees greatly enhances the appeal of otherwise frankly uninspiring concrete buildings. Newcastle City Council, in their infinite wisdom and with extreme fear of litigation, have decided that the trees are a hazard and have to come down. The residents of Newcastle aren't having it, though. The trees are a huge part of the collective memory of many Novocastrians, including me. Residents are now
staging vigils, tying teddies and toys to the trees and otherwise refusing to let go. On a recent visit to Newcastle, fearing I would never see the trees again, I took what I hope will not be my last ever photos of them...
 |
| The grand arch |
 |
| "A thing of beauty is a joy to behold forever..." |
 |
| The road has been closed to cars; pedestrians are free to take their chances. |
 |
| Now I am by no means a slender lady; you can see how huge these trees really are. |
 |
| These trees have played an important role in people's lives - maybe sometimes too important... |
 |
| The trees in front of the library - can you imagine the streetscape without them? |
 |
| That poor little new branch, growing in the hope it will be a grand part of the tree one day, unaware it is doomed. |
 |
| A vision of the future? Nearby Tyrell St once also boasted a grand avenue of figs till Council removed them. |
 |
| Home will seem even less like home if we lose these gorgeous trees. |
I'm very sad to hear this! I am a Stanmore resident, also originally from Newcastle, my father only lives around the corner from Laman St... I used to attend the conservatorium there too so I know the area well. Newcastle City Council sucks.
ReplyDeleteIt would be such a shame - I'm hoping council change their minds still, or that the court challenge is upheld!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a lovely post. It's amazing how powerful photographs can be. I have all my fingers & toes crossed that the community wins its court battle with Newcastle Council to save these trees.
ReplyDeleteI first saw them in the 80's when I went to Laman Street for work. When the taxi dropped me off I stood for a while in awe. I had never seen such a beautiful street in an urban environment.
In 2010 I returned again to have a look at these so called dangerous trees & assess them myself before writing about them. They hadn't changed much. If anything Laman Street was more beautiful.
Blind Freddy can see the trees are not dangerous. Mark Hartley an extremely well respected Arborist assessed the trees & disagreed with Newcastle Council's assessment. He said the trees were healthy & did not present a danger of falling. Still both Council & the Councillors ignore this report.
I grieve for these trees, for the community & for the wildlife that rely on these trees as a food source & home. Let's hope common sense prevails, that the Court makes a judgement in favour of the community & the trees are allowed to live on for the benefit of future generations.
Jacqueline