This morning Ballina Shire Council will hear a motion from Cr Steve McCarthy to remove the native macaranga tree from the list of approved species for planting by Ballina Council and local community groups.
A common sight throughout the Northern Rivers, Macaranga tanarius is a rainforest tree which can grow up to 10 metres tall, with large heart-shaped leaves.
According to Cr McCarthy, without competition the tree ‘becomes more aggressive in speed of growth and size’, taking over banksia, tuckeroo, wattles and other species.
‘On the coast it originated at Lennox Point within the last ten years,’ he says. ‘Today it lines roadsides and invades remnant and regenerating littoral rainforests in Ballina Shire.’
In his motion, Cr McCarthy claims macarangas are killing native vegetation, before getting to his main point: ‘Its tall height blocks iconic views from the surfers car park, Pat Morton car park, the Coast Road, views from residences etc. In addition, they are now invading the iconic Norfolk Island pines at Sharpes Beach.’
Cr McCarthy ends his anti-macaranga motion calling for the species to be ripped out.
Staff response
Ballina Council staff seem unwilling to join in the anti-macaranga crusade, saying in their most recent Councillor Bulletin on the matter: ‘the macaranga is a pioneer species providing a very important first stage for the restoration of cleared, degraded and weed-infested lands’, as well as providing food for many native birds, and habitat for local frogs and butterflies.
‘They provide a fast-growing canopy with beneficial shade for slower growing, longer lived successional rainforest species to grow underneath. Over time, the successional rainforest species typically shade out the macaranga.’
It’s yet to be seen whether Cr McCarthy will find any support for his motion from fellow councillors.
Meanwhile throughout the Northern Rivers, major imported weeds like Giant Devils Fig, lantana and many others run riot.
Ballina Council is meeting a day early this month, because of the public holiday for Anzac Day tomorrow.
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