‘Medium Risk’ Tree at Government House Causes Serious Injury
A large branch from a eucalyptus tree at the entrance to Government House in Canberra fell onto a group of school children, leaving a Year 6 student with critical injuries. The incident occurred on February 19, 2025, as students from Central Coast Grammar School were concluding an excursion.
The injured student, Anais Betts, was airlifted to Sydney Children's Hospital in a critical condition. By April, her family reported she was making what they described as a "miraculous" recovery.
Audit Exposes Gaps in Tree Management
Contrary to initial statements from officials that the tree had been assessed as healthy in the six months prior, a report from the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) found no documentation to support this claim. The audit, which examined the management of official residences, uncovered that the specific tree, identified as tree 349, was last professionally assessed in July 2022.
During that assessment, an arborist rated the tree a "medium risk" and recommended the removal of deadwood. However, the Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General maintained incomplete records, leaving no clear indication of whether this crucial maintenance was ever performed.
In response to the findings, a spokesperson for the Governor-General's office stated that other external arborists were engaged in 2023 and 2024 and that work had been conducted on the tree after 2022.
Systemic Issues and Ongoing Risks
The ANAO report highlighted broader systemic failures in the property's arboreal care. It was revealed that Government House did not have a formal tree management plan for its nearly 600 trees until June 2025.
Following the incident, the office entered a two-year contract with arboricultural firm Civica in March 2025. A subsequent assessment that month found that tree 349 remained a "medium" risk, with a "failure possible" probability and a "serious" consequence rating. Further deadwood was removed later that month.
The Civica assessment also identified:
- 50 trees classified as medium-risk
- 13 trees classified as high-risk
- Two high-risk trees recommended for removal
A spokesperson confirmed one high-risk tree was removed in October 2025 after approval from the National Capital Authority, with the second awaiting removal. The annual Government House open day, originally scheduled for April, was postponed until this high-risk tree work was completed and was eventually held on November 1.
Despite the serious incident, it is understood that the national work health and safety regulator, Comcare, investigated and did not find any non-compliance with workplace health and safety regulations.
