A large street tree on Cordelia Place in Alexander Heights became the focus of a petition after the City of Wanneroo voted to remove it. On 23 April 2024, councillors voted 11–4 to remove one of three trees proposed for removal at the property, leaving the other two in place. PerthNow reported that the council report valued each tree at $19,205—the figure rounded to “$20k” in the headline—and that a petition to save the street tree had attracted almost 7,000 signatures by 18 May 2024.
What the council decided
At its 23 April 2024 meeting, the City of Wanneroo council voted 11–4 for an alternative motion that authorised removal of one of three trees requested for removal. The other two, located at the side of the property, were to remain. PerthNow reported that the council report assigned a value of $19,205 to each of the three trees; the “$20k” description is a rounded figure, not a separate valuation.
The tree at the centre of the petition stands on the street verge of Cordelia Place. The petition identifies it as a smooth-barked apple (Angophora costata) and calls it the last mature street tree on the road.
Why residents petitioned to save it
Wendy Garstone, administrator of Wanneroo Tree Advocates and a former local government landscape planner, launched the Change.org petition on 30 April 2024, after the council vote. PerthNow reported almost 7,000 signatures by 18 May 2024. The petition page later showed 10,591 verified signatures when its counter was surfaced on 8 October 2026; that live count can change.
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Garstone argued that removing the tree conflicted with the City of Wanneroo’s Urban Forest Strategy and Street Tree Policy. She described the tree as a shared public amenity and raised concerns about canopy loss and the spread of polyphagous shot-hole borer. PerthNow attributed to Garstone the claims that Alexander Heights had 7% tree canopy and that the city aimed for 15–20% canopy by 2040; those figures were not independently verified in the sources reviewed.
What the city said about the trees
A City of Wanneroo spokesperson told PerthNow: “Administration undertook an investigation and determined the trees were in good health and could continue to be managed in accordance of the city’s street tree policy,”
The spokesperson also said: “The city is committed to improving its canopy coverage and will replace the tree with a suitable species as part of its 2024 tree planting program.” Garstone countered: “We believe this is a poor decision with the fact that a street tree is owned by the council and it’s a shared amenity,”
These are the positions reported by PerthNow, not an independent arboricultural assessment. The available account establishes the city’s view that the trees were healthy and manageable, alongside Garstone’s policy, public-amenity and canopy objections.
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Did the petition stop the removal?
The petition followed the 23 April vote and asked councillors to reconsider; its signatures do not establish that the decision was reversed. PerthNow reported that the city planned to replace the tree with a suitable species through its 2024 planting program. The available sources do not establish whether the Cordelia Place tree was ultimately removed or whether council later changed its decision.
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Sources
- PerthNow’s 18 May 2024 report on the vote, valuation, petition and statements from Garstone and the City of Wanneroo.
- Change.org petition: “Save the last street tree in Cordelia Place”.
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