GOOD luck to anyone trying to sleep within earshot of Lithgow's Queen Elizabeth Park at the weekend when century old elm trees at the street frontage became just a memory on our streetscape.
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With chainsaws, stump grinder and chipper reportedly churning away until around 4 am it was a night when a noisy neighbourhood party would probably have been preferable.
At least you could call the cops to shut that down.
By daylight there was a wide open space where just hours earlier the elms reigned supreme.
Council over the years has been enthusiastic in removing trees but not so hot at replacing them.
This time there was added controversy. Council had announced ONE tree had to go due to disease.
But it was TWO huge elms side by side reduced to woodchip.
Anyway, now more bitumen to admire when you stroll Main Street.
Towering ambition
WITH the confirmation that the massive cooling tower at Wang power station is to be preserved is there a chance it could become a significant part of the so called 'silo trail' after all? One of Lithgow's most prominent business people this week told the column it was an opportunity not to be lost if Council and the owners could get together for a real local highlight.
Obliteration
WE hesitate to say we told you so but now it's official - pigeon poo has finally obliterated all points of interest on the tourist marker in Cook Plaza, the popular visitor location where flying rats are allowed to rule more than the roost. The body language of some Queensland visitors at the weekend said heaps about what they thought of our town. And we're nominated for a tourist award?
The selectors
THE death of Manly League legend Bob Fulton reminded the column of a rare piece of graffiti humour we encountered some years back. Outside a church on The Corso the weekly message to the faithful read ''What would you do if Jesus came to Manly today?" Underneath someone had scrawled 'Put him in the centres and move Fulton to the wing.'
Blindsided
LABOR are 'puzzled' by their rejection in the weekend's Hunter by-election. Seems they still haven't learned that electors want something more positive than just endless criticism from an Opposition and don't often warm to union leaders as candidates to run the State or Nation.
