4 August, 2026

Not for the chop: Why some locals treasure their trees

Tree people… Bridget and Peter Thrussell (above) have nurtured a veritable forest in their Hauraki backyard.

Right: Damien Hughes, with 9-year-old son Rafferty Hughes, outside the Cautley St property they are renting for the next 12 months. Having recently arrived from
the UK to live permanently in New Zealand, Damien said the many trees had been a factor in choosing the property as their home for the next year.

Plans for the formation of a tree protection action group in Devonport have drawn around 16 expressions of interest to local eco-restoration group Restoring Takarunga Hauraki.The initiative was prompted by a 3 July Flagstaff story about the felling of a large pōhutukawa in Bayswater Ave.
Now, a selection of locals from around the Devonport peninsula who are passionate about the trees on their properties have come forward to share their stories through the paper:

Bridget and Peter Thrussell have lived at their Hauraki Corner property for 24 years.
The property, which runs down to Shoal Bay, has two pōhutukawa over 100 years old that are considered coastal fringe and are therefore protected.
The backyard is a veritable forest, including kauri, rimu and kōwhai. The couple have planted karamū, but most other trees were already established before they took over the property.
They like to let nature take its course, so if a branch falls, it is left in place. “It attracts the bugs which feed the birds,” says Bridget.
The couple’s aim was to develop a sanctuary for the birds and themselves.

Chris and Marilee Lucas went out of their way to find a like-minded family to buy their Cautley St property, where they had nurtured an area of native bush over 46 years.
New owner Sarah Badju Tollestrup feels very fortunate to be the current custodian of the property. “The trees were a big part of what attracted us to the property. They provide an incredible sense of privacy and create a beautiful, peaceful setting.”
Tollestrup says the birdlife the trees attract is one of her favourite things about the property and she plans to seek professional advice to help maintain them.

When Brooke and Yvonne Mackley arrived at their Bayswater property 53 years ago, a solitary camellia tree stood on the back section of what was then a quarter-acre site.
All other trees have been planted by the Mackleys, forming a “compact bush” that provides good protection from southerly winds. “I wanted to beautify the property,” says Brooke, who gets great enjoyment watching the trees change through the seasons.
Flowers and berries produced by the trees attract birds and there are regularly a dozen tūī on the property. Trees include kauri, kahikatea, pōhutukawa, rimu, kānuka and matai, with some large specimens around 18 metres tall.

Belmont local Danny De Varga bought his property with his late wife Louise in 1996. The large backyard had three fruit trees, a silky oak, two camellias and lots of weeds and domestic rubbish.
Louise’s love for the environment led to their plan to develop an urban environment for birds. They planted out the lower portion of the section first and when it was established, progressed to eventually planting the entire backyard in natives.
Louise ran a composting business called Composting For Shore and taught composting and worm farm courses from their home for several years.