Save a 200 year old Tuart tree

On Sunday 14 October from 5pm a Poets and Tunes for Tuarts event took place at 168 Healy Rd Hamilton Hill. The event was organised by Nandi Chinna, featuring Anna Maria Weldon, John Ryan, Amanda Joy, Kate Kelly, Dave Johnson, Sandie Walker, Tineke Van Der Eecken, Jaya Penelope, Branan Dubh and more.

A 200 year old Tuart tree on Healy Road in Hamilton Hill is the sacrifice communities in Fremantle, Western Australia are faced with today. The Tuart is one of the last remaining of his kind in this area and is home to indigenous birds including the endangered red tail cockatoo. When a builder who bought a nearby block commenced chopping the tree in June 2012, poet Amanda Joy and Seamus Doherty stopped the chainsaws, set up camp to protect the tree 24 hours a day, and started investigating the bureaucracy that made this possible. Many people have come on board to help with the vigil, some help by cooking food for the protectors, other sing songs.

Tineke made 'Tuart Jewellery' from some of the chips to mark the preciousness of what is lost, but also that the tree lives on. On Sunday 7 October, after another sneaky and vicious chainsaw attack by the builder, the community and local politicians came to show their outrage and reaffirm their commitment to preserve what is left of the severely damaged tree, and fight for legal reforms. What has been set in motion will not stop. Poets will read poetry, musicians will sing, the Tuart will live.

Photo Matthew Dwyer