Woollahara Council - Return to Index Page

A council in Australia could be likened to a city in a metropolitan area of California.  The Woollahara Council would be the equivalent to La Mesa in San Diego.  While officially part of Sydney, it has its own mayor and council members, and provides residents with common municipal services including parks, street tree programs and open space management.  As a part of my sabbatical leave project and the Rice Family Foundation Fellowship, I toured the Woollahara Council district with Mario D'Alessio and Bruce Rann to look at successful street tree plantings.

Wollahara Council - Sydney, Australia

Council offices at Double Bay.

Mario D'Alessio (left) and Bruce Rann

Mr. D'Alessio, Team Leader, Tree Management and Bruce Rann, Open Works Space Manager gave me a tour of significant street trees in the Woollahara Council area of Sydney. The council has a strong tree management program.

Accommodating Trees

This is Mario D'Alessio's desk at the council offices. Note the angled area below the desk. This was built to accommodate the trunk of the tree outside the office window near the left side of the photo.

View from the Council Offices

This photo is of the view from where Mr. Rann and Mr. D'Alessio have their offices.

McCaw Damage

The white McCaw seen on the tree trunk is tearing away bark. This practice is believed to be an effort to inflict damage that will result in a hollow area in the tree trunk for a future nesting site.