HUNDREDS of native seedlings planted last week on a Brinsmead reserve formerly used as a neighbourhood garden have been torn out by vandals.

Police have been called in to investigate the destruction but officials say they do not know who is responsible.

Last week, the Cairns Regional Council moved in and tore out more than 400 plants from the Shamrock Reserve, which neighbour Joe Collins had cultivated on the council-owned park.

But by Saturday, most of the council's new plantings had been uprooted.

"It's heartbreaking when you do all this work for the community and someone comes along and rips it all out," a council worker at the site said.

Mr Collins yesterday refused to comment about his garden, the council's actions or the destruction of the new plants.

Neighbours of the Sophie Close property said parts of the illegal garden had been fenced off, stopping people from walking through the reserve.

"We didn't mind the vegetation," neighbour Mike Blackman said.

"It was the star pickets and fences that we had a problem with.

"We are happy now that the community has got back its land."

Another neighbour, Wendy Woodford, said the dispute had been going on for at least two years.

Ms Woodford was recently so fed up with the council’s lack of action that she threw hay at the Spence St administration building and Martyn St works depot to bring attention to the issue.

Days later, the vegetation was removed and the site replanted.

A council spokeswoman said attempts were made to work with Mr Collins however the council was forced to act "due to neighbourhood tensions".

"At the end of the day it's council managed land that had been planted out with more than 30 exotic species including serious environmental weeds, approximately 200 tyres, star pickets, railway sleepers, and trellises," she said.

The council will complete the replanting of the site today.

Share this article