The installation of the new water main in Coldstream Street, Yamba, is all but complete and it is now time for the next phase of the street’s redevelopment – planting of new street trees.

Just on 12 months after the Clarence Valley Council replaced tuckeroos on the eastern side of the street with advanced water gums, the completion of the water main upgrade means it can now do the other side.

Council’s acting open spaces coordinator, Andrew Auglys, said that with days starting to get longer it was a perfect time for planting.

“Planting in the cooler months allows the trees to get well established before the peak growing seasons of spring and summer,” he said.

“We’ll be planting 19 advanced water gums, the same as on the other side of the street.

“They are an improved cultivar native to northern NSW, create a great canopy spread and shading benefits, absorb more gaseous pollutants and are subject to lower levels of vandalism due to high canopy clearances.”

The replacement trees are about 3m tall and Mr Auglys said they would provide instant shade and aesthetics to the current streetscape. This will be a staged project conducted outside peak business hours to keep disturbance to shop owners and the community to a minimum.

Work on the tree replacement is expected to start this week.