YOU can’t keep a good tree down, or so it would seem.
After a deliberately lit fire damaged Sturt St’s Christmas tree on Sunday night, a replacement has been
put in place.
Yesterday, the Ballarat City Council removed the damaged tree and replaced it with a slightly shorter
one, which had been on display in the Town Hall.
Ballarat Mayor Judy Verlin said the new tree would send a
message to the community.
‘‘Ballarat’s Christmas spirit cannot be dampened.’’
An unknown arsonist set the eight-metre tree alight, causing an estimated $22,000 worth of damage to the
$60,000 tree.
A council spokeswoman said the frame of the tree was mostly not damaged in the fire and the tree would
be able to be replaced.
Police are hunting for a male who was seen acting
suspiciously at the base of the tree moments before it caught fire.
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