Joint city push for historic database

By Shaun Inguanzo
GREATER Dandenong councillors and residents are calling for a database of the city’s heritage items after it was revealed a 400-year-old river redgum tree could have been saved.
The river redgum that Eastlink builders lopped down to make way for the Dandenong Southern Bypass last month caught the attention of the National Trust.
Conservation coordinator Wendy Dwyer wrote to Greater Dandenong council and attached a letter it had sent to council in 2003 identifying ways to prevent mishaps from occurring.
Ms Dwyer said the Trust was disappointed the tree was lost because it appeared to fit the criteria for inclusion in the Trust’s Register of Significant Trees.
Bangholme resident Alan Hood this week took advantage of public question time to ask council if it would hire a heritage officer and compile a database of all heritage items in the city, including an online site where residents could make suggestions.
“I accept this is a difficult job, and there will be disagreements over priorities, but we must establish more than a token effort to protect those things precious to our community,” he said.
Dandenong North Ward councillor John Kelly also prompted council to hire a heritage officer to help prevent a repeat of the redgum dilemma.