Wollongong City Council has agreed to investigate an estimated 50 tree deaths in the area after prompting by Bushcare volunteers.

Vandalism has been reported at six sites, including within the Sandon Point Aboriginal Place, where penalties for vandalism include imprisonment and fines of up to $550,000.

In a letter to Wollongong council, Sandon Point Bushcare Group co-ordinator Marcel Van Wijk points out the public money poured into restoring and protecting the area’s cultural and environmental heritage, including funds from council and state and federal agencies.

‘‘Claims by some surfers that they ‘can’t see the surf from the car park’ or some locals that ‘the trees are blocking my ocean view’, cannot be seriously counted as a major consideration in regard to the overall future management of our coastline,’’ he wrote.

‘‘There are far more pressing environmental and cultural values at stake at Sandon Point that far outweigh someone’s view of the ocean, particularly when these individuals can go for a little walk and see it anyway.’’

From afar, the treeline separating the southern side of the Aboriginal tent embassy from the Stockland housing development has become a symbol of the tensions between the two, with a creeping line of dead, brown foliage lining the Stockland side.

Species of cut trees reported by Mr Van Wijk include banksias, wattles and tea trees.

He claims 30 trees, including eucalyptus and banksia species, have been drilled and poisoned near and on Aboriginal burial grounds.

At the embassy yesterday, volunteer Daniel Jones said he had seen the treeline thinning as a result of vandalism.

‘‘I couldn’t see the light of those houses before, now it’s been thinned so much,’’ he said.

A resident, whose view is partially blocked by the trees, said they caused anxiety for him and his neighbours.

‘‘Everyone’s pretty pissed off that they’re there in the first place,’’ he said.

‘‘No-one can really use the land across there.

‘‘All we see is kids running in and out of there, drinking and throwing stuff at houses.’’

The man, who did not provide his name, said the trees caused visibility issues further along the cycleway.

‘‘You can’t see when somebody’s coming around the corner, but nobody is game to say it because they’ll be seen as an agitator in the area. There’s real disharmony.’’

A spokeswoman for Wollongong council confirmed it was investigating complaints and had advised the Office of Environment and Heritage of the reported vandalism of native trees and vegetation within the Sandon Point Aboriginal Place. She urged people to report any damage they observed to police or the council.

Council is preparing a plan of management of the land it owns at Sandon Point following consultation earlier this year.

The finished document will include a draft vegetation management plan.