Standing Tall In Tully's Heart

The Kauri pines lining Butler Street beside the Tully Showgrounds. Image credit: Helen Cook

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By Helen Cook

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For almost 90 years, the magnificent Kauri pines lining Butler Street beside the Tully Showgrounds have stood watch over the town, surviving cyclones, changing streetscapes and generations of community life.

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Now, the possibility that some may need to be removed has sparked considerable discussion on social media, with locals sharing memories, expressing concern and questioning what might be done to preserve them.

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Thanks to research shared by local historian Helen Pedley, we know the remarkable story behind these trees. Cardwell Shire Council minutes from April 1937 record the decision to plant 12 trees alongside the showgrounds and three opposite, commemorating the coronation of King George VI.

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A procession made its way to the showgrounds, where Shire Chairman Cr Bryce Henry officially planted the trees, accompanied by speeches, music, dancing and celebrations.

The road was even named Coronation Avenue, although it was formally confirmed as Butler Street in 1995.  

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Over the years they've certainly weathered their share of storms. Cyclone Yasi in 2011 stripped them almost bare, leaving what Mayor Teresa Millwood recently described as enormous matchsticks.

Responding to community concerns on social media regarding their removal, Mayor Millwood acknowledged their historical importance while explaining Council's responsibility for public safety.  

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She confirmed assessments were continuing, with no final decision made, although she stated that some trees had sustained damage beyond repair.

Local arborist Mark Gough of Gough Tree Services offered another perspective, suggesting that while two trees showed signs of rot likely to warrant removal within the next couple of years, the remainder appeared relatively healthy and structurally sound.

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"There is no reason they can't continue to be managed and monitored into the future," he  

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Next year, Tully's Coronation pines turn 90. Some residents are calling for the community to celebrate their remarkable history while working together to preserve as many as safely possible.

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