Aussie fined $20,000 for cutting down trees on his own land

A Victorian landowner has been fined $20,000 for cutting down native trees on his rural property in Tallarook without getting planning approval from council.

The 160 trees were cut down on or around May 16, 2024, and the man was charged with a single count of removing native vegetation in contravention of the Mitchell Shire Planning Scheme.

The man, who had no criminal record, made an early guilty plea in Broadmeadows Magistrates Court on December 8, and was fined $20,000 and ordered to pay $3,111.05 in court costs.

Judicial Registrar Eales found the charge proven and noted deterrence was a key consideration in cases involving unlawful clearing, but did not record a conviction.

The court heard the man cooperated fully with Mitchell Shire Council during the investigation, and intended to work with the council on land remediation.

Mitchell Shire Council CEO Mary Agostino said the case showed the seriousness of clearing native vegetation without approval.

“Native vegetation plays a vital role in our local environment, particularly in rural areas like Tallarook,” she said.

“Council is committed to protecting these landscapes and working with landowners so they understand their responsibilities under the Planning Scheme. This decision sends a clear message that illegal clearing won’t be tolerated and that there are real consequences for damaging our natural environment.”

But a post about the penalty on Facebook made by the council sparked an angry response from locals, who said the photo provided appeared to show young trees, and that the man should be able to remove vegetation from his own land.

“You’ve got to be joking. I can understand a 400-year-old gum tree, but those gums look less than 5 years old,” wrote one man.

“It’s called ‘fire risk reduction’,” said another.

“He was only preparing the land for Chris Bowen’s solar panels,” remarked a third, while the most popular comment read: “But if he’d wanted to build a train line or a new road through it, it wouldn’t be a problem,.”

The fine comes after locals near Mudgee in rural NSW were left in disbelief after centuries-old trees along a 6km stretch of highway were torn down so the road could be widened to build a renewable energy hub.

Header image: The Tallarook property (Mitchell Shire Council).

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