Vandal cuts native trees down in Coburg Melbourne community park breaking residents’ hearts

A clump of 21 native trees was chopped down shortly after being planted by the shocking vandalism that brought residents to tears.

The ‘senseless’ act sparked anger and heartbreak among the Coburg community in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, with outraged residents calling out the ‘lowlife sons of bitches’ responsible.

Footage of the trees showed them chopped off near the stumps and lying on the ground in a park next to Coburg train station.

The trees were planted as part of an expensive and large-scale revamp of the area linked to the Victorian government’s Level Crossing Removal Project.

Local resident Luke said his wife was “almost in tears” when the family saw the trees chopped to the ground.

Local resident Luke said his wife was ‘almost in tears’ when the family saw the trees cut down to the ground

“I am incredibly sad and very angry about it. It was quite heartbreaking to watch my young child try to reattach the trees to their stumps,” he said. Yahoo News Australia.

Luke said fellow residents were scratching their heads as to why someone would cut down the trees.

“It’s such a bizarre act and it must have taken a certain amount of premeditation because of the many tools involved, not to mention the physical exertion of cutting down so many trees in the middle of the night, even though they were all relatively young’ he said.

It is clear that the state government’s project responsible for planting the trees – designed to increase canopy coverage in the area – will see them replaced.

The Andrews government’s signature plan to demolish 110 level crossings across the city involved raising the Coburg railway lines and station above ground.

But Luke said he didn’t think a resident outraged by the redevelopment was the reason behind the attack.

Merri-bek mayor, Councilwoman Angelica Panopoulos, said the municipality would work with state authorities to find out how the incident happened.

‘I was very disappointed when I heard that a number of trees have been cut down in the park around Coburg station. We place a high value on building our canopy and urban forest in Merri-bek, so this is incredibly frustrating,” said Cr Panopoulos.

“I am incredibly sad and very angry about it. It was quite heartbreaking to watch my young child try to reattach the trees to their stumps,” said a resident

The trees (pictured, after a vandal’s visit) were planted as part of an expensive and large-scale revamp of the area linked to the Victorian Government’s Level Crossing Removal Project

Meanwhile, residents took to social media to express their frustration at the vandalism.

“I just can’t believe people would do this. Lowlife bastards,” said one, while another called the perpetrator an “axe killer.”

‘They were young eucalyptus trees. All natives. I think it’s just senseless vandalism. Unfortunately, some people just need a gum tree branch upside down,” a third wrote.

“I wish the people who did this would make like a tree and leave,” another joked.