Sign of the times ....’Dob in a vandal’ pleads Bay's Mayor

Drummoyne’s mangrove adventure trail has been vandalised in a pre-Christmas attack so vicious Canada Bay Council has erected a billboard sized sign on the site urging people to come forward with information.

The council sign is located on waterfront mangrove beds at the foot of historic Drummoyne Oval and spoils any waterfront view improved by the mangroves’ destruction.

Canada Bay Mayor Angelo Tsirekas condemned the vandalism as “a particularly vicious attack” and not even the (child-height) educational signs near the mangroves were spared.

“We believe this particular group of mangroves has been the target of repeat offenders who are selfishly chopping the mangroves to gain perfect water views,” Mayor Tsirekas said.

“It is probably the most savage case I have seen in our community.”

“However their actions only really damages the mangroves’ environment as it leads to stagnant water with increased pollutants, rubbish and unwanted smells.”

The mangrove trail is popular with children and a Woolwich resident who phoned TWT said her seven year old grand daughter burst into tears when she saw the extent of the destruction.

Canada Bay Council said vandals face a fine of $110,000 and a possible criminal conviction while any business found to be involved faces a fine of $200,000.

The Mayor said this recent attack on the mangrove trail centred around The Esplanade and Hendricks Street, Drummoyne and wiped out 40 per cent of the existing mangrove population leaving only twenty mature mangroves.

The Weekly Times sought information from local people at the foreshore on Friday but those approached said they knew nothing about the vandalism.

The Mayor is also mystified.

“What mystifies me the most is that the attack occurred on suburban foreshore surrounded by houses and no one has been caught in the act.” Mangroves are highly efficient in filtering silt and pollutants such as heavy metals, nitrogen and phosphorous from the water.

When mangroves are removed, the disturbance of the natural filtering cycle creates problems of trace metal contamination of seawater and all of the fish, animal and birds which rely on the mangroves as a resource.

The mangrove adventure trail in Drummoyne attracts visits from hundreds of families across Sydney each year.

Concerned about ongoing reported mangrove vandalism to the area, NSW Fisheries has also placed signs warning the community about the heavy penalties that can apply if an attack occurs.

The Mayor adds that anyone damaging mangroves can also be required to pay the costs of remediating the site under a Ministerial or Court order for such an offence.

TWT on-the-spot PHOTO