Nearly half of the 43 trees ‘secretly’ earmarked for removal at Dandenong Oasis have already been chopped down, Greater Dandenong Council has confirmed.
Some councillors say they only learnt of the proposed removals in late August to make way for the $122 million Dandenong Wellbeing Centre project.
Meanwhile, the council has confirmed 21 have been removed since May.
Greens councillor Isabella Do says she’s “truly bewildered” by the “lack of notice and transparency”.
“We were also only made aware that one tree had already been removed when this was first brought to us.”
She says she’ll put up a notice of motion to try to save as many of the remaining 22 trees as possible.
However, councillors were told retaining the trees would require a “major redesign of the car park”, causing cost and time delays, she said.
Most of the doomed trees are in and around the Dandenong Oasis car park and don’t require permits for removal, according to the council.
“Therefore, any objections from the public or otherwise, will not be considered by Council,” Cr Do said.
“Council officers have written these trees are of ‘low retention value’, treating them only as an inconvenient asset that they can write off.
“They treat it as a dollar asset instead of considering its biodiversity and ecological significance. In fact, no biodiversity assessment has been done.”
Two River Red Gums, being remnant vegetation, require a planning permit for removal.
The permit is exempt from public notice or review – aside from notifying the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.
Meanwhile, a public online petition has been logged with the council, calling for it to “delay the destruction” until there’s community consultation and full disclosure on the location and health of the 43 trees.
Greater Dandenong city futures executive director Sanjay Manivasagasivam said the tree removals were part of the project design for “several years now”.
The design and procurement was approved by the council in early 2024, and the construction contract in 2025, he said.
The vegetation plan includes 143 new trees, the retention of 166 existing trees and removal of 43 trees.
There will be 25,000 shrubs and ground cover plants added around Mills Reserve, according to the council.
Trees have been removed since ADCO Construction started work on the project in May, Manivasagasivam said.
“Around 21 trees have already been removed, as they were in the way of establishing site offices, digging foundations for the facility and digging the new 50-metre and warm water pools.
“Other trees from the 43 will progressively be removed as required.
“There’s no rush to remove trees. For example, the trees in the current Oasis carpark are expected to remain where they are until towards the end of this year, when that car park will be closed and the new car park will open.”
In a statement, the council said a specialist external arborist reported on the health and retention value of trees on the site in October 2020.
It stated site vegetation was also raised in two community consultations, as well as with the mayor and several councillors in 2022.
Mayor Jim Memeti said net tree canopy cover at Mills Reserve will increase 35 per cent in 20 years.
“There are a number of trees at the site that are not in great condition and have quite limited life expectancy, including 10 trees in yellow concrete collars in the middle of the current Oasis carpark.
“For their age, these trees might be expected to be much taller and have broader canopy, but they have been limited by the lack of air flow and moisture transfer around their roots, due to being surrounded by concrete.
““The new trees will be planted in better soil conditions with more natural landscaping and space around them and they are expected to flourish”
The DWC replaces the decades-old Dandenong Oasis aquatic centre and will focus on allied health, education, fitness and wellness.
The two-storey centre includes two separate pool halls, dry health and fitness facilities and an integrated sports pavilion.
It is expected to open in 2027.
