(2/10/2019) FERN fruit trees find a new home

Five fruit trees on the former site of the Fremantle Environmental Resource Network have been moved to a new home.

The former FERN site on Montreal Street is being cleared to allow for the upgrade of High Street by Main Roads WA.

Four of the fruit trees – a Lemon, Mandarin, Fragar Peach, and Illawarra Plum – have been relocated to the WGV Community Orchard in White Gum Valley, while a Kaffir Lime tree has been moved to the Hilton Harvest Community Garden.

WGV Community Orchard Convenor Steph Jennings said they were delighted to accept the fruit trees from FERN. 

“We started the WGV Community Orchard in 2014 with the intention that one day the locals could harvest and enjoy produce from the fruit trees they planted with their own hands,” Ms Jennings said.   “The fruit trees from FERN are a perfect fit for our almost full community orchard because they fill the last remaining gaps in our four groves within the orchard.   “I was actually one of the founding members of FERN and was involved in planting some of these very trees more than ten years ago, so I’m just thrilled that the trees are being preserved and that we can give them a long term home in White Gum Valley.”

In addition to the fruit trees, a large Canary Island Date Palm will be relocated to the Monument Hill Reserve tomorrow.

The operation will require an excavator and crane to lift the palm onto a truck for the short journey to Monument Hill, where it will be replanted along Swanbourne Street.

Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitt said it was pleasing to be able to relocate the trees instead of simply cutting them down.

“The City of Fremantle has worked closely with Main Roads to minimise the impact the High Street upgrade will have on local residents and the community,” Mayor Pettitt said.

“One of the key aims of the design for the upgrade was to preserve as many trees as possible, so I’m really happy that we’ve been able to save these trees and find a new home for them.”

Upgrade of High Street is being undertaken by Main Roads WA to reduce congestion and improve safety along High Street and at the Stirling Highway intersection.

It consists of a new roundabout at the intersection of High Street and Stirling Highway, a wide median on High Street to separate traffic lanes and preserve a number of mature trees, two new pedestrian underpasses under High Street and Stirling Highway and single lane service road for residents on the northern side of High Street.

For more information visit the High Street Upgrade page on the Main Roads website.