After suffering relatively little parks and gardens vandalism in recent years, Hume has copped a spate of offences across the city in the past few weeks.
Vandals broke a locked gate to enter Highgate Recreation Reserve in Craigieburn during the Queen’s Birthday long weekend.
Judging by the tyre marks across the oval, the culprits drove around in circles, tearing up the turf. Garden beds between the reserve’s two ovals were run over and damaged.
It was the second recent attack on Highgate Reserve by vandals, who also struck during the weekend of May 23-24.
Barrymore Road Recreation Reserve in Greenvale, Lakeside Reserve in Roxburgh Park, Carrick Drive Reserve in Gladstone Park, parkland along Yuroke Creek in Greenvale and saplings in Craigieburn have been damaged by vandals in the past two months.
Hume council’s John Monahan said people who needlessly destroyed trees cost ratepayers money and harmed residents’ quality of life.
“Trees perform a valuable role in our neighbourhoods because they enhance the look and feel of streetscapes, and sustain the health of other plants and animals,” Mr Monahan said.
The council operates a tree inspection program and maps more than 166,000 trees. Mr Monahan, the council’s acting city infrastructure director, said the council inspected more than 80,000 trees each year.
More than 4100 requests to prune or plant trees were lodged with the council in the 2013-14 financial year – up on the 4014
it received in the previous year and the 3523 requests lodged in the 2011-12 financial year.
Anyone with information about tree vandalism should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Hume council on 9205 2200.
