Brisbane City Council is investigating how six large eucalypt trees in suburban Ascot were poisoned.

But not all is as it seems.

Some residents are suggesting that the trees weren’t killed to increase property values.

Brooke Holdsworth reports.

TRANSCRIPT

On Crosby Road in Ascot, six eucalypts stand brown surrounded by thousands of dead leaves, poisoned by an unknown perpetrator.

David McLachlan, Councillor for the Hamilton ward, believes the poisoning is directly related to increasing property values.

Cr David McLachlan, Hamilton Ward: “If that is the case, that’s a tragedy. People’s greed should not overcome the benefit the community obtained by having a clean and green environment.”

Some locals agree.

Svetlana Williams, Resident: “It’s a bit selfish I would say. We don’t want to be killing nature, because somebody wants to see the city.”

But other residents point out that the trees aren’t blocking multi-million dollar views and it’s more an issue of council up-keep.

VOX 1: “I don’t feel this area here is being managed very well. It’s not just the trees, it’s the sort of hedges, the overgrowing of the shrubs and that’s also coming into the safefy of the drivers.”

Either way the trees are now well and truly dead.

These beautiful trees, now marked for removal have taken years to reach these heights and any saplings replanted will take just as long to grow.

For now, the case of the poison trees remain a mystery, anyone with information should contact Brisbane City Council.

Brooke Holdsworth, QUT News.