In January 2024, authorities warned that polyphagous shot-hole borer could put up to 20 per cent of Perth’s roughly 900 Hyde Park trees—almost 200—at risk of removal. That was a forecast, not a final count. By May 2025, reporting described a more targeted response: heavily infested vegetation on the lake islands was slated for removal, while efforts continued to protect older fig and plane trees elsewhere in the park. The latest Hyde Park-specific account available here is from May 2025, so it does not establish what work has since been completed.
Why was Hyde Park facing the loss of almost 200 trees?
The figure came from an estimate reported by ABC News on January 30, 2024: up to 20 per cent of approximately 900 trees in Hyde Park might need to be removed because of polyphagous shot-hole borer (PSHB). That percentage works out to roughly 180 trees, but it should not be read as a confirmed removal tally. The report did not establish that all trees in the estimate were ultimately cut down.
The story concerns Hyde Park in Perth, Western Australia. WA said PSHB was first detected in Fremantle in mid-2021; ABC reported the first detection in East Fremantle in August 2021. The 2024 article described a three-year eradication program and quarantine restrictions across 25 Perth local government areas as they stood at that time. Those are historical details, not confirmation of current rules.
How does the beetle threaten trees?
The beetle tunnels into a tree and introduces a fungus. According to the WA Government’s January 30, 2024 statement, the fungus can block the movement of water and nutrients, gradually killing the tree.
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That statement listed possible signs as tiny holes in trunks, discolouration, staining or sawdust. These signs alone do not establish that a tree has PSHB. The government’s 2024 announcement said suspected signs could be reported through MyPestGuide Reporter; anyone seeking to report a current sighting should check the latest DPIRD information for the present reporting channel and requirements.
Why were some trees removed while others were being protected?
The reports describe different responses according to infestation severity, tree type and location—not a single rule that every affected tree had to be felled.
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| Location or trees | Reported condition or priority | Response described |
|---|---|---|
| Vegetation on the two lake islands | In May 2025, most trees and shrubs there were reported as heavily infested. | Removal was scheduled to take place over six weeks. |
| Older fig and plane trees elsewhere in the park | Authorities and the City of Vincent sought to retain the park’s major established canopy. | Measures included removing affected limbs from some trees and conducting trials on selected trees. |
These details come from ABC News’s May 2025 report, which said preservation efforts for century-old Moreton Bay figs and plane trees had been largely successful at the time. Mayor Alison Xamon said three trees had been removed and affected limbs taken from some other infested trees. The island work did not revise the separate 2024 estimate for the whole park.
Were treatments available?
In January 2024, the WA Government said no known treatment was available and described tree removal as the way to prevent spread. In May 2025, ABC reported contact and systemic insecticide trials involving 45 Hyde Park trees. That was a trial, not evidence that a treatment had been approved, proved effective or made available to the public.
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The same ABC report described a separate City of Canning trial involving injected pellets containing fungicide and insecticide, with promising early results reported there. It was not the Hyde Park trial and should not be taken as proof that the approach would work on Hyde Park’s trees.
What was planned for recovery?
ABC reported in May 2025 that the City of Vincent had a three-year plan for 4,000 trees and shrubs on the lake islands. The plan aimed to select plants suited to the local habitat, resilient to shot-hole borer and able to cope with climate change. This was a planned planting total, not a verified completion figure.
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Separately, the WA Government announced a $7.2 million tree-recovery package in August 2024. It said public-land funding would support planting up to three trees for every tree lost. That statewide package and its eligibility framework are distinct from the City of Vincent’s island plan; the announcement does not establish that the funding was spent at Hyde Park. See the WA Government’s August 24, 2024 announcement for the package details.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known about Hyde Park’s status now?
The latest Hyde Park-specific account available here is ABC’s report published May 21 and updated May 22, 2025. It described planned six-week island clearing and future planting, but does not establish whether those works were completed or what the park’s current tree count, infestation status or biosecurity rules are in 2026. For current status or instructions, check updates from the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the City of Vincent.
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