Norfolk Island Pines are seen up and down the Illawarra coast and often subject to tree vandalism in aid of a better view for nearby mansions, however poison was not the fate of this incident.

Read more: Meet the man behind this stunning Bellambi mullet

Wollongong City Council arborists were forced to take to the tree with a chainsaw after its top half came crashing down during a wild storm mid-April.

"Council removed the remaining section of the tree this month and we'll be back on site soon to remove the stump of the tree," a spokeswoman told the Mercury.

At the time, the beheaded tree caused the closure of The Blue Mile and also posed a safety risk to pedestrians after damaging the fence.

The tree was broken in two during the storm, with the top half toppling down an embankment towards the pathway below.

Tree huggers wondering if council will replant another iconic pine in its place will have to wait until after the Olympics of cycling (the race in September everyone keeps talking about).

"We'll look at investigating whether we can replant a tree at this location after the 2022 UCI Road World Championships," the spokeswoman said.

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