The words of Friends of Browns Creek spokesperson, Bill Dennis, speak to his frustration and disappointment in the wake of substantial destruction and the theft of trees at Kanangra Reserve in Taree.

Today Taree Police attended the site with Mr Dennis to inspect the damage which includes severe trunk and branch breakage on numerous established gum trees, the theft of eight bottlebrush plants and the dislodgement of a large boulder from a rock wall.

The vandalism occurred sometime after 5pm on August 21 as Mrs Fernley said she was in the reserve at that time and “it looked beautiful.”

“Everything was in its place and it looked beautiful,” Mrs Fernley said. “For this to happen overnight, well it is just so frustrating and disappointing.”

Vandalism is an ongoing issue at the reserve which is located on Kanangra Drive, near the intersection of Railway Street. It is a pedestrian thoroughfare from the Bushland area to town and since November 2011 members of the group have consistently worked to try to improve its appearance and accessibility; a few years ago facilitating the installation of a footpath through the reserve and improvements to the pedestrian bridge.

“It frustrates you no-end because we’ve been trying to beautify this part of the town for our community for so long and yet, there’s just an element of people that just wantonly destroy it and we just don’t know why. They just take great delight in doing it,” Mr Dennis said.

“It’s a repeated problem. When we first planted the trees about two years ago people came in and trashed the place. We fixed it up then, and replanted what we could, but now they’ve snapped the trees in half and ripped them out of the ground. It’s just so disappointing and disheartening.”

Mr Crossley laughs as he suggests that “we will have to plant razor wire trees” to stop the problem.

Mr Dennis said the police and Friends of Browns Creek would appreciate any information from the public about the incident.

“We know it’s unlikely anything will come of it and will just be another example of property and environment destruction. But so many people comment on how lovely the area was beginning to look, it’s just such a shame.”