‘Deflated’: Gran hit with $42k council tree bill

A Melbourne grandmother has been left staring down a $42,000 repair bill after a council tree allegedly tore through her property – and the council refused to pay a cent. Maria Baratta says roots from a Monash Council-owned tree outside her Huntingdale home have cracked concrete, dislodged a boundary wall and blocked sewer pipes, but her family’s compensation claim was dismissed as little more than wear and tear. The 86-year-old, with the help of her son Tony, has spent years battling Monash Council over the damage at her Fenton St home, arguing the tree on the nature strip has been allowed to cause serious destruction to private property. MORE NEWS Aus council faces court action over tree ‘Hear next door take a piss’: Tradie’s shock housing truth Named: Suburbs with toxic drinking water In 2024, the family formally lodged a claim with council after an independent structural assessment found aggressive tree roots had forced up concrete pathways and dislodged the boundary wall. The Barattas say a builder quoted $38,000 to repair the structural damage, while another $4000 has already been spent unblocking sewer pipes they claim were clogged by the same roots. The roots of the tree ha...