The main street will soon be a blaze of colour with 25 new trees being planted to provide shade and visual aesthetics to the town.
Cobar Shire Council’s urban supervisor Paul Sullivan told The Cobar Weekly they plan to plant trees from the Cobar Memorial Services Club along Marshall Street to the Caltex Service Station.
The new trees are Pyrus Bradfords, deciduous shady trees which will be green throughout spring and summer and turn a brilliant red in autumn.
Planting of the first lot of trees has already been completed between the Cobar Memorial Services Club and the Great Western Hotel.
Native grasses have also been planted beneath the trees and the irrigation system has been updated with timers.
Mr Sullivan said council made the decision to remove the existing trees along the roadside in this area as they were not suited to the conditions, taking a long time to grow and being unlikely to provide proper shade.
He said the new trees are “non aggressive” and are highly suited as street side trees.
At the time of planting, the trees were already three metres tall.
Originally council’s plan was to begin the planting at the other end of town however Mr Sullivan said the services beneath the footpaths have necessitated a re-evaluation of the plan.
He said planning is now underway to plant the trees on roadside.
More tree planting has also recently taken place in Drummond Park with Chinese Elms being planted along Harcourt Street while Pyrus Bradfords have been put along Lewis Street.
He said council has plans for more tree planting throughout Cobar over the next couple of years and also the removal of others.
Some of the trees that have been earmarked for removal have grown too close to the road or they are unsuitable in their position.
Mr Sullivan said street side suitable trees will be planted in their place, funded by the council’s new tree planting budget.
