FIG TREES CUT DOWN IN COOKS HILL

More of Newcastle’s iconic fig trees are coming down, this time in Swan Street at Cooks Hill.

11 out of the 24 trees being removed are figs.

The council says insurers forced its hand – and that community safety must come first.

“When the latest figs fell down and crushed part of a house the insurer wrote to us and said to us this can go on no more, they aren’t willing to provide council with public liability insurance unless we do something about the figs,” said Interim CEO Jeremy Bath.

Newcastle Council will spend $5-million in upgrades in Swan Street, on footpaths, drainage and guttering.

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