​There’s a sign just off to the north side of the cycle track at Sandon Point; one which tells us quite a lot.

Much more, unfortunately, than its intended purpose, which is to warn tree vandals that Wollongong City Council is onto them and fines may apply.

These signs used to be enormous, erected to shame the vandals and deny them the improved view which motivated their act.

This sign is much smaller, easily missed, and if the continued vandalism is anything to go by, utterly inconsequential. In fact, the sign at Sandon Point has been bent over and stands as a forlorn, deformed anti-monument to law enforcement. 

Meanwhile the vandal, who in the flushed afterglow of their crime may have been worried, now sits on their balcony counting the cash the new view may deliver, with an OJ Simpson “Getting Away With It” grin stuck to their face.

Of course we don’t know who had poisoned the trees at Sandon Point – although the culprits in tree poisoning cases are usually not far away. The trouble is, it can’t be proved unless they’re caught red-handed.

Which is why councils erect signs, threaten fines and surveillance, and most importantly, plant new trees.

In Wollongong, the signs are getting smaller and the trees aren’t being replanted. WCC is waiting for strategies and policies to be developed before a single camera is installed. This process seems to take years, during which vandals are emboldened.

Compare this to Kiama Council last week “declaring war” on tree vandals. “This latest sustained attack leaves council little choice but to deploy remote night-time cameras,” said the works director, while Councillor Andrew Sloan said poisoning was “shameful”, and they would “find the perpetrators and apply the full force of the law.”

It’s still tough to catch them, but at least poisoners in one of these two towns knows the council is serious.