The iconic century-old Norfolk Island Pine tree, located at the site of the old Gosnells railway station, is set to be chopped down this Saturday, November 2, marking the end of the historic landmark that has been a part of Gosnells for generations.
The Public Transport Authority (PTA), responsible for the removal, said, “Given its unusual location in the centre of the rail corridor,” they took advantage of the current rail shutdown to assess the pine with the help of a tree specialist, where a fungal infection was discovered.
“The Norfolk pine tree, located in the rail reserve near the Gosnells Station, will be safely removed by the PTA due to its poor health and risk to railway operations,” a PTA spokesperson told the Examiner Newspapers.
“Given the potential risk to future rail operations and passenger safety, the PTA made the decision to remove the tree while the Armadale Line is closed for major upgrades.”
Despite its imminent removal, the PTA stated that the exact type of fungal infection has not yet been determined and that investigations are currently underway.
The old Gosnells railway station, where the tree is still located in the middle of the tracks, closed in April 2005 after the opening of a new station situated approximately 300 metres to the north, closer to the city centre.
City of Gosnells Mayor Terresa Lynes expressed her devastation at the loss of the tree and her unhappiness with its removal.
“It is very disappointing that this tree has been damaged and needs to be removed,” she said.
“We understand these things happen, however we hope the Public Transport Authority carefully considers all available options before removing any more trees along the train line.”
The PTA stated they sought and received permission from the City of Gosnells to remove the tree “due to the hazards of the tree falling onto the line.”
Despite speculation the tree’s root system was damaged by the ongoing Rail Revitalisation Program works in the area, the PTA denies having caused any damage to the tree.
“The tree has been in declining health for some time – the tree’s root system was not damaged by the PTA or any of its associated works in the area,” the PTA spokesperson said.
The tree is believed to have been planted in 1912 by Joseph Carroll, the first station master of the Gosnells railway station, which opened in 1905.
Joseph Carroll served as the station master from 1912 to 1917, was a keen gardener, and is credited with the beautification of the Gosnells railway station grounds.
Mr Carroll passed away in France shortly after World War I in January 1919 after serving as a sapper with the Australian Imperial Force.
He married Mary Carroll in 1914, who went on to become a well-known teacher at Gosnells Primary School, and in 1971, a local park was named in her honour.
Despite its historical significance to the area, the Norfolk Island Pine tree is not protected by any statutory heritage listing.
It is not yet known whether any of the wood from the tree will be repurposed or if a replacement will be planted.
