Deborah Lilly, Mullumbimby
As the Tallowood Estate spreads its little boxes westwood along the verdant valley toward Wollumbin, there remains at its heart one magnificent Motherlode tree. Already the roots are crowned with a semi-circular stone wall, creating a bower beneath its branches where family picnics, community gatherings and courting couples might while away enchanted hours. This is Mother Nature’s gift to estate dwellers.
The developer is willing to do a deal with council so that open space requirements can be juggled and this fragment of an ancient ecosystem and its tall tree be preserved for the people in a public park, pledged and protected forever. Councillors, this is your chance to do a beautiful thing. Please vote for Option 3 and yes to the Motherlode Tree at Thursday’s meeting. Thank you.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
