A total of eleven trees have been damaged beyond repair in an act of vandalism along Verney Road between Hereford Drive and Hawkins Street. The incident occurred overnight on Saturday 16 October.
The trees were trampled and broken down to the base and had to be removed by Greater Shepparton City Council's Arboriculture team.
The cost of the damage is estimated to be over $350 per tree when taking into account initial watering and formative pruning, a total of more than $3,850.
The one Chinese Pistachio tree and 10 Crab Apple trees, which were in full bloom, were planted on August 1 as part of the Urban Reforestation program and had just started to become established.
Greater Shepparton City Council Manager Parks, Sport and Recreation, Tim Zak is disappointed that someone would purposely vandalise and kill these newly established trees.
"Local residents have contacted Council to report the incident and are saddened that a member of our community has chosen to do this.
"Unfortunately the area will remain bare as the trees cannot be replaced until June 2022 due to no stock remaining in nurseries until next season," he said.
Council is asking the community to share any information relating to the vandalism including dash-cam and home security footage in hopes of finding the perpetrators.
