Dear News Of The Area,

I BELIEVE there are alternatives to removing the riverfront coral trees, and replacing them with Port Jackson figs.

Pruning the existing coral trees would be a suitable solution, even though the haven’t lost any major branches

in the last two years of storms, and have survived having roots removed when council upgraded the road and gutters.

A coral tree at 64 Yamba Street, (opposite the day care centre) was very, very heavily pruned (almost back to the main trunk) last year, and is thriving, put out a mass of foliage last spring, and is now bare with a few flowers.

NOTA 11 August, page 13, reported a fig tree in Tuncurry’s John Wright Park loosing a ”main leader” branch on

a still evening!

Not what you’d want on the foreshore? I’m sure we’ve all driven under the figs outside our police station, and observed

the dead fall from them after a storm or strong winds.

Why not add summer shading trees to the foreshore, rather than remove and replace?

In Hawaii and Tahiti a variety of hibiscus, a tree grows well close to the water. they have a buttercup yellow flower, that

as the flower ages turns apricot, then passionfruit in colour before falling.

There are at least three of these leafy and hardy hibiscus trees thriving in our twin towns. On the northern side of Mireen Street, opposite 66 Mireen, Another at 39 Yamba, also in Hawks Nest, and one at 18 Myall Street, Tea Gardens.

Go have a look for yourself, and lets keep the Coral Trees for their summer shade and their stark leafless beauty in winter.

Mind you I wouldn’t want to be sitting under a fruiting Fig tree, with bats and possums feeding and x’íng above.

Phillip Everett, Hawks Nest