A social media post about the removal of trees along Southern River Road near Clearwater Drive has reignited public frustration over ongoing development and the loss of tree canopy in the City of Gosnells.
A concerned resident shared images and questioned why trees were being cut down and whether the City was responsible or allowing developers to do so unchecked.
“Gosnells City Council secretly and stealthily cutting down these beautiful trees or, if it’s private land, then why is Gosnells City Council allowing a private developer to cut down trees?” the post read.
The post attracted a lot of comments, including responses from two city councillors.
Councillor Diane Lloyd said she shared the community’s concerns, describing the loss of trees as upsetting but noted the City’s powers were limited once development zoning was in place.
“The tricky thing is… once land is zoned for development, whether it’s private or part of a bigger plan, the City’s options are pretty limited,” she said.
“If the land use and approvals are in place, there’s not a lot we can legally do to stop tree clearing, even if we don’t like it.”
She pointed to state planning rules as the root issue, calling for stronger protections.
“If we want to see real change, we need to push for stronger tree protections and better planning decisions at the state level,” she said, adding that she had met with the Gosnells Tree Canopy Advocates to find solutions.
Fellow councillor Peter Abetz also clarified the trees were on private land zoned for commercial use.
“The city is not cutting down those trees,” he said.
“The land owner has purchased the land which is zoned… which allows them to clear the land to build what is approved via a development application.”
Mr Abetz compared the situation to a homeowner removing a tree in their own backyard and said future landscaping would include planting new trees.
Some community members expressed disappointment, questioning whether the council could have done more to protect older trees or preserve green space in new developments. Others pointed out that development often comes at the cost of native vegetation, but said tree loss shouldn’t be the default.
“Awful. So many trees are being knocked down around Southern River,” one comment read.
Another claimed developers often cleared land quickly and dealt with the consequences later.
“Developers do it before they’re told not to, then they just pay the fine. It happened to 40 acres behind my block,” a user shared.
Some defended the need for housing growth, while others questioned whether enough was being done to balance development with environmental care.
