Location, location, location.
That is the key to property prices in the Australian market and a view can make or break the potential of a home to appeal to buyers.
That’s why passionate Aussies are willing to go to extreme – and sometimes illegal – lengths to make sure their views are protected.
From palm trees and shipping containers to neighbour wars and council fights, these are the wild steps some Aussies have taken to ensure their million-dollar views remain uninterrupted.
LONGUEVILLE’S TREE VANDALISM BITE BACK
A Sydney council bit back after hundreds of native trees were illegally chopped down by replacing them with a large, bright red banner.
The view in question was a strip of land in Longueville’s Woodford Bay.
Homes with the view of the boat dotted water have sold up to $25 million.
In November 2023, nearly 300 trees from a threatened ecological community were illegally destroyed, with the local council considering criminal prosecution.
Following legal advice, the council began the process of “pursuing the strongest possible penalty.”
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View of the same bay from a home selling for $16-$16.5m.
Longueville tree poisoning. Images: Lane Cove Council
In the meantime, a 7 metre long and 2 metre high banner was installed to interrupt the harbour view of the property which would most benefit from the clearing of the trees.
“Trees shouldn’t have to die for a view. 290+ trees illegally destroyed. Lane Cove stands tall against tree vandalism,” the banner read.
Lane Cove Council said online it would only remove the banner once the vegetation has “grown back to a suitable height.”
Despite a thorough investigation costing the council around $70,000, no one could work out who was responsible for killing the strip of trees.
The banner that was put up by council in response to the tree vandalism. Picture: Lane Cove Council
WILLOUGHBY’S TRIAL AND FAIL
In the nearby suburb of bushy Castle Cove, another tree vandalism event occurred in what Willoughby City Council Mayor Tanya Taylor called “simply heartless in its disregard for our cherished flora and fauna.”
Despite believing they’d found the person responsible, the investigation by Council into the deliberate destruction of 256 trees in H.D. Robb Reserve resulted in insufficient information to prosecute those allegedly responsible.
The trees appeared to be hacked by hand – one of which was an 80 year-old iconic 21-metre Sydney angophora. Others were believed to be over 90 years old.
Hundreds of trees hacked right in front of multimillion-dollar properties.
The incident become a major talking point among residents and sparked a public appeal for information with the council pledging a $10,000 reward for information, according to reports at the time.
“This case was unprecedented in its scale and will go down in Willoughby’s history as a low point for our community,” Mayor Taylor said. “Council’s officers have worked tirelessly to identify those responsible, however we’ve been unable to unearth the necessary evidence that might lead to the prosecution of those behind this act.”
Castle Cove’s H.D. Robb Reserve.
HOWDY NEIGHBOUR – GOLD COAST BLUES
In the Gold Coast, A bitter and ongoing neighbour dispute over the size of trees blocking million-dollar views which heard disputed claims of “relentless” phone calls, text messages and repeated knocks on the door, ended this month with a judge ordering some be removed and others lopped.
Homeowners Neil Arden Coombe and wife Olivia Arden Coombe who live on top of a hill in Robina took their rear neighbour Benjamin David Engwirda to the Queensland Civil and Adminstrative Tribunal (QCAT) in an attempt to get him to cut or remove trees growing in his backyard that were blocking the views of the city skyline from their rear veranda, according to The Courier Mail.
The view in contention. Picture: Nigel Hallett
On July 11, the tribunal ruled that Mr Engwirda would have to remove two large trees and prune the others by September, and he must pay the trimming costs.
They told the tribunal they chose the house purely on the strength of the view, that they claimed extends northwest to southeast, out across the suburbs to the horizon and encompasses the Gold Coast skyline, ocean glimpses and sky.
They submitted they have lost about 40 per cent of their view to Mr Engwirda’s tree growth and this will slash the value of their home.
Property records state that the couple paid $635,000 for their four-bedroom home in 2015 and prices have skyrocketed with it now worth an estimated $1.5m.
Photographs supplied by the owners that showed there was an unobstructed view at the time the property was purchased.
A view from a distance of the properties in dispute. Picture: Nigel Hallett
NEW AGE MANLY LORAX
Late last year, a local council ignored this woman’s dying wish.
Long time Manly resident Elizabeth Beerworth passed away aged 80 last year, and one of the last things she mentioned was “the trees.”
Despite suffering with dementia, the Manly resident was still consumed by a years-long battle with council to have some towering trees pruned back.
Her daughter, Sally Beerworth, told news.com.au that she purchased the home 20 years ago, and although the home was small, it had spectacular views over the harbour.
“It’s not a huge place, but it has an amazing view. She had always wanted to live by the water. It was the happiest time of her life – she loved it.”
Trees blocking the Manly residents’ stunning view.
Across the road from the apartment was a stand of tall trees, but under an agreement with the then-Manly Council they were regularly pruned so they didn’t encroach on Elizabeth’s view.
“Manly Council would come and trim the trees for her. I remember being on the phone with her and she’d say, ‘the tree man’s here,’” Sally said.
Now the new Northern Beaches Council refused, she claims, and even asked her to stop bothering them about it.
“For us it’s highly emotional because mum was so passionate about it. I just kind of feel like I’m letting mum down,” Sally said.
The view prior to the trees taking over.
READ FULL STORY HERE
THEY DON’T GIVE A SHIP ABOUT THEIR BEACHES
A Sydney local council left residents reeling as the local council blocked their ocean views with a shipping container after a number of trees were poisoned.
Sydney’s Bayside Council released a statement in January “Council identified two trees that have been poisoned along the foreshore walkway, and one tree that has been chopped down within the sand dunes in The Grand Parade”, it read.
The council said on its website it “moved quickly to install a shipping container in the location, and will be installing large signage to deter vandalism and ensure no one benefits from an improved bay view.”
The shipping container blocking the view prior to being painted.
Bayside Council announced on their Facebook page that artist David Cragg was commissioned to create an “impressive” mural on the shipping container to ensure the area remained “vibrant and welcoming.”
Many locals were in support: “don’t paint the shipping containers … let the culprits view an eyesore.”
“There’s a new house being built in brighton and the trees outside it have all been poisoned. It’s clear that the owners did this. They should be forced to demolish the house and sell off the land,” another commented.
Others residents of Brighton-Le-Sans were furious and told news.com.au they had been quickly shut down by council after raising their concerns about the installation of the “eyesore” shipping container.
“They clearly don’t care what their beaches and parks look like. They’re more than happy to drop shipping containers all over the place so there isn’t much we can do,” one local homeowner said at the time.
Yellowtail black cockatoo among the Banksia by artist David Cragg.
One homeowner complained that they would have to reduce the rent on their investment property, while another family were blamed for the incident as their property benefited from the water views.
“Over the weekend I was out watering my garden and we had people abusing us, saying ‘You’re disgusting, how could you do something like this’,” one homeowner said. “Our family is not taking this lightly. It attracts unwanted attention, having people taking photos of us, our house, we’re certainly not comfortable.”
It’s not the first time the local council have placed a shipping container as a response to tree poisoning with a container placed in 2021 still not removed.
PALM TREE ROW
A Sydney businessman lost a court fight over a row of palm trees blocking the multimillion-dollar harbour view from his Darling Point home.
In December 2024, Former Allianz chairman John Curtis took his neighbour businessman Winardi Pranatajaya to the NSW Land and Environment Court this month over the palm trees, which he claims are obstructing the harbour views he has “enjoyed since purchasing his property in 1993”.
Mr Curtis told the court the palms were in breach of an agreement listed on the property title, which restricts the height of items on Mr Pranatajaya’s property.
Palm trees blocking the Darling Point home’s harbour view.
However, Acting Commissioner David Galwey ruled against Mr Curtis, saying the palms did not “severely obstruct” his view, however, were important in maintaining Mr Pranatajaya’s privacy.
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