News
27 November, 2025
Concerns over tree clearing secrecy
Mount Mee residents are demanding transparency after the State Government denied a Right to Information (RTI) request over tree clearing on the grounds it “could spark significant public debate”.
by Marina Gomide
Mount Mee residents are demanding transparency after the State Government denied a Right to Information (RTI) request over tree clearing on the grounds it “could spark significant public debate”.
The two century-old trees, located along a stretch of Mount Mee Road ranked by RACQ as Queensland’s third most unroadworthy, were scheduled to be cut down on November 3 after the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) deemed them a roadside safety hazard.
But locals fiercely rejected that claim, arguing the trees don’t block vision and are home to sugar gliders, black cockatoos, lorikeets and even koalas.
They argued the removal would permanently scar one of the last pockets of old-growth forest on the mountain.
Residents claimed they only learned of the planned works two weeks beforehand, sparking immediate backlash, a petition nearing now 2,500 signatures, and a 24/7 community watch at the site.
That vigilance appears to have paid off for now, with TMR allegedly having paused the works, with no attempts of cutting down the trees nearly a month later.
“I’m proud of the community that’s rallied behind this,” resident Nathan Stoneham said.
“I’m hopeful our pressure might just save these trees.”
Advocates are concerned however, after saying they observed TMR officers conducting additional assessments, including two nights of fauna-spotting and soil testing.
“They were just going to chop the trees down before without having done any of this,” Mr Stoneham said.
Locals have supplied their own evidence of wildlife in the trees, including photos and video of gliders, koalas and nesting birds.
Mr Stoneham, however, expressed frustration with the alleged lack of TMR’s transparency, after a formal RTI request for an environmental assessment of the road works was refused.
Authorities refused the request claiming the reports at this stage “could spark significant public debate over a proposed approach that may never be implemented”.
Mr Stoneham said it doesn’t seem right to him that he can only have access to information that won’t cause debate.
“This goes against how I believe a democratic government should operate,” he said.
“I think they know the community will be upset by the report because I think it will show they didn’t do a thorough environmental assessment at first, and are sending surveyors out now to cover their tracks.”
A TMR spokesperson said clearing will not commence until all site investigation and preparation activities are complete.
“Vegetation clearing required as part of construction is undertaken by TMR in accordance with strict environmental processes,” they said.
“The outcomes from surveys carried out will guide our next steps, and we will provide a project update to the community once results have been confirmed.”
TMR said the project is to improve safety at the Brisbane-Woodford Road (locally known as Mount Mee Road) and Lewington Road intersection.
The project is being undertaken in response to a “concerning trend” of injury crashes over the past decade and a fatal motorcycle crash at the intersection in December 2023.
Investigations identified the steep embankment and mature trees near the intersection as “roadside hazards”.
“The Queensland Government understands the community’s concerns about the environmental and cultural significance of the trees,” the spokesperson said.
“During the planning phase, TMR explored several options to avoid impacting the environment, including installing guardrails, reshaping the embankment, and realigning the road.
“The preferred option was determined to be the safest and most effective solution to deliver the necessary safety improvements.”
To minimise the environmental impact, TMR has arranged for the tree trunks to be repurposed at the Caboolture Region Environmental Centre, while the root balls will be used as fish habitats at Lake McDonald.
“We will work with environmental specialists to safely relocate any wildlife, including sugar gliders, found in the trees,” the spokesperson said.
