'Tree Houses' to be auctioned on October 22

A Moreton Bay fig tree more than a century old stands tall in the centre of one of Melbourne's most unique housing projects, which is set for auction at 12.00 noon on Saturday, 22 October 2005.

The "Tree Houses" project has seen two houses built around a 114-year-old Moreton Bay fig tree on a property at 138 Cranbourne Road in Frankston.

This innovative project came about after then Minister for Planning Mary Delahunty approved a preservation order Frankston City Council sought for the tree in July 2003 when it was about to be bulldozed.

In a joint statement, the Mayor of Frankston City, Councillor Rochelle McArthur and Archicentre's Managing Director Robert Caulfield said: "There was a strong community will to protect this tree and this has been achieved through an enlightened planning approach of Frankston City Council and Archicentre's innovative design principles."

The rescue bid for the tree was mounted by Frankston City Council who purchased the site, Archicentre who developed the design concept and Devine Homes, who built the homes at cost. This has resulted in two homes being built around this significant tree, showcasing how the built environment can harmonise with the natural environment and also complement neighbourhood character.

Details of the design and construction process have been shared with local government, environment and community groups, as well as the building industry through the Internet. Both homes have a 5 Star energy rating; one has an environmental focus; the other has been constructed as a Kidsafe house.

Profits from the sale of the two houses will go to Kidsafe for Child Accident Prevention programs and to Frankston City Council's Environment Fund.

Managing Director of Devine Homes, David Devine, said his company's participation in the Frankston Tree Houses project was important to him personally as well as to the community. "My industry has particular responsibility, I believe, to do whatever it can to minimise our impact on nature, to conserve energy and to reduce our waste of natural resources," he said.

"Right now we enjoy virtually unlimited use of all these things. But for how long? Will our children's children still be able to enjoy them? Sadly, unless we begin doing something now, that's very doubtful, which is why we volunteered our services at cost when we heard about the project."

The Moreton Bay fig tree, among Frankston's oldest, was planted by the first generation of European settlers. It started as a feature tree in the grounds of what was to become the Frankston Nursery, one of the City's early economic success stories along with the market gardens, nurseries and orchards which sprang up along Cranbourne Road from the 1870s onwards.

The Tree Houses are open for inspection Saturdays 11.30am - 12.00 noon.

The auction will be held at 12.00 noon on Saturday, 22 October 2005 by MPRE Real Estate, phone (03) 9789 2211.

Media Enquiries:
Robert Caulfield, Managing Director Archicentre (03) 9819 4577; Mobile: 0412 381 306
Donna Mongan, Frankston City Council (03) 9784 1812; Mobile: 0409 148 508
Ron Smith, Corporate Media Communications (03) 9818 5700; Mobile: 0417 329 201