Council was to vote on a recommendation by council staff that a development application put in by Martin Gleeson Pty Ltd be amended to allow the tree to be removed.

An arborist's report accompanying the DA amendment stated the tree was around 80 years old and all but dead with the potential to become dangerous. Mr Gleeson had put the cause of its death down to the drought.

The amendment was to a DA granted in 2007 which gave permission for a nine lot subdivision of 5 Borrodell Drive however the tree was to be protected. In their submissions, neighbours say it went into decline around 2018.

During open forum, neighbour Deidre Leslie, who has lived opposite 5 Borrodell drive since 1989, spoke on her concerns about the tree's decline.

"We have concerned the oak at 5 Borrodell drive may have died of causes other than drought and wish to protect our tree from a similar fate," she said.

Mrs Leslie, who said she had information the tree was 120 years old, requested that prior to its removal, the tree be tested by independent specialists to determine other causes of its demise such as disease.

Developer and owner of the property Gavin Gleeson also spoke on the matter, agreeing the tree was 120 years old.

He thanked council staff for its help on "the death of our beloved oak tree" and said he was happy with the council's recommendation the tree be replaced by two of the same species. The young trees must be at least five metres in height and with a trunk calliper of 80mm as a condition of permission to remove the original oak.

"Just on a side point, I'd like to agree with Deidre on the tree being 120 years. I had a visit from Borrie just a few weeks before his death to say goodbye to the old oak tree.

"If you google the life of a pin oak tree, it will come up at 120 years."

Mr Gleeson was referring to the late Borrie Gartrell, who had grown up on the property when it was an orchard owned by his parents.

Cr Tony Mileto proposed council defer the matter to engage an independent qualified authority to "take samples of the pin oak tree in an attempt to determine the source of the tree's problem".

"If there's a disease sweeping through town we need to know about that. We are the colour city, we certainly don't need other trees just dying without any reason," he said.

"Are we working out whether it was murdered or died of natural causes?" Cr Kevin Duffy said.

Cr Jeff Whitton pointed out the DA was to remove the tree because it was potentially dangerous and that staff had recommended its removal.

"That is the issue," he said.

Cr Mileto's motion was defeated but in the meantime, Mayor Jason Hamling foreshadowed an amendment asking for council staff to be given time to pursue information on what its option were when and if the cause of the tree's death was identified. That was agreed to unanimously.

In other matters last night, funding for the the Wangarang Charity Golf Day and Yu-Gi-oh! Regional Challenge was approved.

Council agreed with Cr Jack Evan's request council looks into upgrading road safety on Racecourse Road while staff were also instructed to compile a report on the viability of fishing in Suma Park Dam.

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