A historic tree has been cut down because of safety concerns.
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The Bunya Pine was planted on Braemar Estate, Moruya by the original owner and builder of Braemar, Moruya local doctor Irwin King.
Dr King arrived in Australia from England as a medical officer aboard the immigrant ship "Whampoa" in 1877.
He moved to Moruya in 1878 and stayed until 1885. During this time, Dr King owned the homestead now on the corner of Braemar Drive and Dr King Close and planted the Bunya Pine.
When the property was originally subdivided, the approval included the preservation of the historic tree.
However the tree was cut down, with the stump preserved, in early March after a reassessment of the safety risk it posed.
A Eurobodalla Shire Council spokesperson said the tree was removed because of the safety risk posed to neighbouring properties.
The council received a development application for the removal of the tree in September 2022. The application was supported by an arborist report outlining the tree's declining health.
However, the spokesperson said the council hired an independent tree inspector - accompanied by the council's parks and gardens tree inspector - to also assess the tree. They confirmed the arborist's report that the tree posed a safety risk, including the dropping of large limbs and cones.
The spokesperson said an independent heritage advisor also reviewed the application in consultation with Heritage NSW.
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Heritage NSW raised no concerns about the tree removal provided the stump was retained. The consent conditions included several regarding the retention of the stump, and the archaeological item remains listed on heritage registers.
The council spokesperson said the landowners were aware of these conditions. The description of the development application was also amended from 'removal' to 'pruning' to allow the stump to be retained.
The spokesperson said the council informed the public via signage on the lot, an advertisement in the paper and through the online DA tracker. Nearby landowners also received a notification letter from the council.
