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Yes. Fremantle Council reversed its decision to remove the Moreton Bay fig at 195 High Street from the City’s Significant Trees and Vegetation Areas Register. Council voted 7–1 to remove it on 14 February 2024, then rescinded that decision on 28 February and restored the tree to the register. The City announced the reversal the following day.
What happened to the tree’s protection?
The tree’s removal from the register lasted only two weeks. At its 14 February 2024 meeting, Council voted 7–1 to remove it. On 28 February, Council rescinded that decision and restored the tree’s registered protection. The City’s 29 February announcement said the tree’s future could be considered through a formal development application, assessed on its merits with regard to heritage significance and contemporary redevelopment. The City also said it would help the owners with tree maintenance. City of Fremantle announcement; 14 February 2024 Council minutes; 24 April 2024 Council agenda.
Why is the Moreton Bay fig significant?
In the Council minutes, the City describes the tree as an approximately 130-year-old Moreton Bay fig (Ficus macrophylla), planted by Fremantle nurseryman Phillip Webster in the late 1880s. It stands beside a historic house built in 1886 at 195 High Street. The minutes say the tree had received heritage recognition since the 1970s and note that, in 2001, Council refused an application to fell it because of its amenity value.
The 2024 minutes recount the strength of opposition to that earlier felling proposal: a petition carried 499 signatures, and 11 people made individual written submissions against removal. These are figures recorded in the Council minutes about the 2001 dispute, not a measure of current opinion. City of Fremantle, 14 February 2024 Council minutes.
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- Culinary herb: produces fragrant bay leaves
- Easy to grow indoors or outdoors: thrives in containers, raised beds, sunny windowsills, and can be pruned to maintain shape or grown into a small tree
- Well-rooted 8-10 inch starter ready for planting, ideal for herb gardens
- Usda zones and mature size: suitable for USDA Zones 8–11, mature plants reach 6–12 feet tall and 4–8 feet wide, depending on container size and pruning
Why did Council initially vote to remove it from the register?
The February minutes say the then-current owner had not given permission for the tree’s inclusion on the register and had requested its removal. That was part of the rationale Council considered; it did not mean the Council record found the tree insignificant. The same minutes state that its heritage value had not changed since a 2001 review.
The minutes also record an arboricultural report finding the tree in good health and recommending ongoing monitoring and maintenance by an arboriculturist. They note that trees have finite lifespans and that some heritage-protected Moreton Bay figs in Fremantle had been removed after their health declined. These are findings and observations in Council material, not a new independent inspection of the tree.
Rank #2
- Categories: US State & Town Views,California,Santa Barbara
- Type: Postcard
- Size: 4.25" x 6" (11 x 15.25 cm)
- Postmark: 1982 Jan-14 Los Angeles CA
- Artist: Art Locker
What considerations were in tension?
- Heritage and landmark value: The tree’s history, setting beside the 1886 house and recognised heritage value weighed in favour of retaining protection.
- Health and maintenance: The Council minutes recorded good health at the time of the arboricultural report, alongside the need for ongoing monitoring and maintenance.
- Owners’ circumstances and plans: The owner’s request to remove the tree from the register raised a property-owner concern. The City’s reversal announcement said a future proposal could be considered through a formal development application.
- Planning and community responsibilities: The City said the reversal recognised both the owners’ situation and strong community sentiment in favour of protecting the tree. Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge said the decision reflected Council’s commitment to urban canopy and the intention to protect the tree for its heritage value. City of Fremantle announcement.
PerthNow reported that about 150 residents gathered on High Street to protest and that a petition had passed 11,000 signatures by the morning of 28 February 2024. Those are contemporaneous media-reported figures, not Council statistics. PerthNow, 29 February 2024.
Is the tree still protected now?
The City’s 2024 tree-specific announcement confirms that Council restored the tree’s protection. However, the City’s current Significant Tree Register page says the register had been paused while the City assessed its Tree Retention Policy and anticipated a review in early 2026. That page does not state the review’s outcome or confirm this particular tree’s post-review status. As of October 2026, the available official material therefore confirms restoration in 2024 but does not establish the individual listing’s status after the anticipated review.
Rank #3
The register page gives general guidance: listed trees on private property are protected under the City’s Local Planning Scheme, and the criteria include health and ongoing viability, owner nomination or support, public consultation, and botanical or horticultural, visual or landmark, heritage, or ecological significance. Those general criteria do not establish whether this individual listing changed after the review. City of Fremantle, Significant Tree Register.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does the reversal guarantee the tree cannot be removed?
No such permanent guarantee was announced. The City said the tree’s future could be considered as part of a formal development application, with heritage significance and contemporary redevelopment taken into account. The available Council material does not establish that a subsequent formal redevelopment application was made.
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- Categories: US State & Town Views,California,Santa Barbara
- Type: Postcard
- Size: 3.5" x 5.5" (9 x 14 cm)
- Publisher: Santa Barbara Post Card Co.
- Artist: Dave Mills
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