Family shaken to the core

Di Stanley | 5th February 2010

PHILIPA Core and her family are in the throes of renovations to the family home in Brahman Place… just they didn’t plan on a tree-change to their plans.

TIMBER: A freak gust of wind brought a 10-metre gum tree down to rest on the Core family's verandah.

Nadine Kennedy

PHILIPA Core and her family are in the throes of renovations to the family home in Brahman Place… just they didn’t plan on a tree-change to their plans.

A gum was uprooted in Sunday morning’s blustery conditions; falling on to the verandah of the double-storey home not three metres from where Philipa’s husband Doug was situated.

“There did seem to be a stronger gust of wind, and I thought I heard a whoosh, then the bang and the rattle,” says Philipa.

“I thought the gust had blown a door shut… no wonder the whole house shook!

“It was a bit of a surprise, but fortunately we’re glad it didn’t do more damage.”

An Emerald SES crew was quick to respond, bringing in a tree lopper to section off the 10-metre gum resting on the bull-nose verandah.

“Because it was so close to the house, only two or three metres away, it hadn’t picked up any momentum when it fell,” says Philipa.

“It really was a blessing, and we really thank God, and even the damage to the house is quite minimal considering the size of the tree.”

Philipa, who was a 2010 Citizen of the Year nominee in the Central Highlands for her 18 years as a breastfeeding counsellor as well as volunteer church and community work, wishes she’d heeded the advice of a tree specialist who recommended the gum’s removal years ago.

But rather than being rooted in regret, she’s full steam ahead with that reno, putting an extended carport down the side of house.