Trashed: Seb Pecar, 12, and Jarrod Winton, 13, inspect the garden damage.
MICHELLE HERBISON
AN attack on an indigenous garden “devastated” Point Lonsdale primary school students, they told the Independent this week.
Grade six students Seb Pecar, 12, and Jarrod Winton, 13, said they would “have to start all over again” after working to protect native plants on a former high school site for three years.
Jarrod was “angry” when he saw dead plants that appeared to be poisoned, fallen trees with saw marks and removed shrubs.
Point Lonsdale Primary School principal Fay Agterhuis said the community had been managing weeds and planting at the site since students proposed an indigenous garden about five years ago.
“If it falls apart it’s giving the message that this is tokenistic and that kids don’t matter.”
Landscape gardener Deb Brearley said the attack was insensitive to the students and other community members who enjoyed the garden regularly.
A neighbour had formally complained about some of the trees potentially disrupting views, she said.
“You don’t buy a view. This section of land was always for public space before any housing started.”
Queen St resident Joe Rutecki said he requested the removal of four particular trees but had no involvement in the garden incident.
“We hadn’t noticed it really until council brought it to our attention. There was one tree that had deteriorated over the summer and we thought it had just died.”
Mr Rutecki said he supported the garden concept but considered any planting on the site “illegal” until completion of planning for the land.
“We have some great views and we don’t want to be planted out. We have a third-party opinion that four plantings will within two to four years completely obliterate our view.”
Mr Rutecki said he felt “100 per cent left out” of planning for the garden.
Borough of Queenscliffe planning and infrastructure general manager Phil Josipovic said council was working to satisfy all stakeholders.
“Joe’s been trying to get the issue resolved through the proper channels, so I wouldn’t even suggest he had anything to do with (the garden incident).”
Mr Josipovic said council was installing signs after finding tree vandalism on two or three other sites.
He disagreed with Mr Rutecki that plantings at the site were “illegal”.
Council and the school had an “understanding” but it lacked detail, Mr Josipovic said.
