Justitie · Dicky Beach poisoningDicky Beach tree poisoning: Dozens dying along 300 metres of beachfrontGeschreven 29 oktober 2026 om 08:51 UTCKijkenTranscript0:07Poison is killing dozens of trees along a beachfront walkway.0:10Two towering Norfolk pines are affected, and the damage could leave lasting0:13contamination in the soil.0:15Can testing give arborists a way to save the trees and determine what remains in the0:18ground?0:19The poison vegetation lines the coastal pathway at Dickey Beach in Calandra, on0:23Queensland's Sunshine Coast.0:24Residents use this foreshore every day, walking beside trees and native plants that0:28are now dying.0:29One Norfolk pine is in a bad state.0:31The neighboring pine is showing signs of distress.0:34Sunshine Coast Councillor Terry Lansberg says council staff regard the poisoning as0:37one of the worst cases in decades.0:39The more established trees appear to have suffered more severely than the0:42undergrowth.0:43The damage extends across three hundred meters of beachfront vegetation.0:47Dozens of trees are affected, including native species as well as the conspicuous0:51Norfolk pines.0:52Arborists are monitoring their health, hoping some can still be saved.0:55Chloe Christopher, a twenty-eight-year old Calandra resident, has lived in the area1:00her whole life.1:01She described a usually lush place dotted with flowers, and said it was sad to pass1:05its dying plants.1:07Nearby resident Brittany Guy, who regularly spends time there with her young son,1:10said she was furious.1:12Council crews have searched the affected ground and collected the material, looking1:16for remaining traces.1:17Landsberg described large amounts of granules spread along the area with an1:20appearance like kitty litter.1:22Samples are being tested to identify the chemical.1:30Landsberg suggested the poison may be interfering with photosynthesis, the process1:34plants used to turn sunlight into energy.1:36The chemical tests haven't confirmed that explanation.1:39A long-term resident also described a large banksia among the losses, and said he'd1:44never seen poisoning on this scale in forty, five years living in the region.1:47Council first received information about the poisoning in August and immediately1:51began monitoring the site.1:52By October20, nine residu testing and further inspections were continuing.1:56August marks when council was alerted.1:58Nobody has said when the poison was spread.2:01Residents walk dogs along this pathway every day, and concerns have been raised2:04about those animals.2:05Landsberg says he doesn't know the effect on wildlife.2:08The uncertainty also reaches beneath the trees, because the substance could2:12potentially leave lasting contamination in the soil.2:14Crews have collected visible granules, but nobody has confirmed the soil is safe.2:19Lasting contamination remains a possibility, and the risks to people and animals2:23haven't been measured.2:24Testing must determine what the chemical is and whether it remains in the ground.2:27Landsberg says potential council fines could reach about one hundred and thirty-zero2:31Australian dollars, with greater penalties possible under state environmental laws.2:35Any penalty would depend on finding and prosecuting whoever was responsible.2:39The applicable offense and maximum fine for this incident haven't been confirmed,2:43and nobody has been fined over this poisoning.2:45Nobody has identified the culprit or a motive.2:47Landsberg warned against singling out a property owner or individual before the2:51investigation runs its course.2:53He's asked anyone with information to contact counsel and promise to explain the2:56impact and consequences to the community.2:59A separate illegal clearing case in nearby NUSA has already produced court orders.3:03In September, Heidi Meyer and Kim Carroll were ordered to replant almost one.3:07Six hundred trees and pay nearly fifty zero Australian dollars in court fees after3:11illegally clearing their private land.3:12The cleared and subdivided land on Picture Point Crescent in Noosa Heads had been3:16listed for sale the previous year for twenty-five million Australian dollars.3:19A Noosa council spokesman said he hoped the costs and replanting orders would warn3:24others.3:24At Dickey Beach, arborists are still trying to save affected trees while the3:28chemical tests continue.3:29Those results may help determine whether the soil needs further treatment and what3:33can be done for the vegetation.3:34Council hasn't announced a date for the laboratory findings or the investigation's3:38conclusion.Lees het artikelTijdlijn van het verhaalHeyDex
