Homeowners warned as 5.5m invasive monster ripped from yard

Daily Telegraph

3 days ago

Experts have sound the alarm over silent alien invaders wreaking havoc in Aussie backyards that could cost homeowners thousands, as shocking footage shows a 5.5m monster torn from a tank.
And they've placed some very popular species on the garden terrorist hit list for those likely to cause significant damage.
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This as nightmarish alien-like tentacles of a massive root system that seized control of an enormous water tank was exposed by tendrils that burst out the roof, forcing homeowners to destroy the entire system.
Elliot Aisthorpe of Big Country Earthworks shared jaw-dropping footage of him pulling out a behemoth two-storey high monster out of the backyard watertank, warning it could happen to anyone who planted trees with invasive roots near their property.
'This is a great example why you should never plant trees with invasive roots near your home. You can just see what sort of damage they're going to cause,' he warned.
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'Look at this little tree growing out of the top of the tank. Let's go and have a look and see what's inside. Holy moly. Look at the roots. No wonder why we're pulling these tanks down,' he said.
'I'm using my excavator here to pull them out. Have a guess how long you think these roots will be?'
He was dwarfed standing next to it, like something out of a sci-fi horror film. 'Yep, that's me standing next to it. I'm a metre 85 and it's about three times the height of me.'
Water supply firm Unitywater executive manager customer delivery Rhett Duncan warned they were now finding one in every three pipe blockages and overflows were caused by tree root invasion.
In a six-month period across the Sunshine Coast, its crews attended more than 1300 blockage or wastewater overflow jobs, of which 439 were caused by tree roots.
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'Tree roots find their way into pipes to access the water and continue growing in there, effectively blocking the pipe or becoming a mass that other debris can attach to. They are then more difficult to remove and take our crews away from other jobs,' Mr Duncan said.
'Pipe blockages cause wastewater overflows in our infrastructure that can flow into and damage the environment, and in people's homes, up through toilets and shower recesses, causing a smelly mess and potential health risks or property damage.'
'We know how stressful it can be for our customers who experience overflows on their property, as well as the costs associated with replacing private pipes. We're asking the community to pause before they plant, consider the types of trees they're planting and plant them away from pipes.'
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To help boost awareness, Unitywater has put up a free online mapping tool so residents can uncover the hidden network of water and wastewater pipes – something most Aussie operators now do to help stop damage,
'Input your address to check if there are any Unitywater pipes on your property. It's good to know where your private pipes run too.'
A planting guide has also been created to help residents know what to plant and how far away from pipes to do so, and Mr Duncan urged gardeners to check in with local nurseries as well who could advise on suitability of other plants with short root systems.
GUIDE FOR HOMEOWNERS TO STOP INVASION:
What not to plant
Golden cane palm
Gum tree (large species)
Common fig
Lilly pilly (large species)
Umbrella tree (an environmental weed in this area)
West African tulip (this a Class 3 weed)
Pine tree
Poinciana
Jacaranda
Broad – leafed paperbark
Weeping paperbark
Mango tree
Coral tree
Willow (all types) (this a Class 3 weed)
Camphor Laurel (this a Class 3 weed)
Wisteria
Black bean
What to plant
Directly above or up to 1.5m away from water supply and wastewater pipes
Blue flax lily
Tall sedge
Spiny-headed mat-rush
Common tussock grass
Kangaroo grass
Common hovea
Between 1.5m and 3m away from water supply and wastewater pipes
Austral indigo
Dogwood
Dwarf banksia
Hairy bush pea
Sweet wattle
Woombye bush
Broad – leaved palm lily
More than 3m away from water supply and wastewater pipes
Blueberry ash
Plum myrtle
Peanut tree
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