Members of the Castle Drive Fig Protectors in Lennox Head are quietly celebrating a small win after Ballina Council’s planned removal of the tree has been put on hold following a claim of Aboriginal cultural significance.
Group spokesperson Sherrie Yeomans told Echonetdaily that the fig was placed into a register of items of Aboriginal cultural significance, overseen by the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), in 2012.
Ballina Council has paused its plans to remove the tree until the claims have been fully investigated.
Ms Yeomans said local Aboriginal woman Lois Cook ‘has taken up the issue over the last week’.
‘OEH confirmed no request had been made from council to cut down the fig nor permission given,’ Ms Yeomans said.
‘According to the legislation there is a $1 million fine if anyone attempts to cut down a tree on the register,’ she said.
‘Once we became aware of the situation we emailed all councillors with request to hold off the destruction.
‘We requested a response. So far only Keith Williams Jeff Johnson and Sharon Parry are the only councillors to have responded,’ she said.
Deputy mayor Keith Williams wrote back to the protesters on Sunday, saying, ‘I can confirm that Council will not proceed with removal of the fig tree until the issues raised in your email are resolved with the Office of Environment and Heritage.
‘My best wishes to you and all the Castle Drive Fig Protectors. Thank you for standing up for our heritage,’ he wrote.
Council staff told ABC radio this morning a check of its Aboriginal Information System had turned up ‘no data about the tree’.
‘They need to look harder,’ Ms Yeomans told Echonetdaily.
Both Ballina Shire Council and OEH were contacted by Echonetdaily but were unable to respond by deadline.
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