Once upon a time ...[in the late '90s]

there used to be a huge tree outside the Holy Trinity Church Hall in Bay St. As part of a hotly contested planning application to re-develop the Church site, VCAT appproved the removal of the giant fig tree - probably the most significant tree in Bay St. Onlookers were horrified. Local landscape gardener Ray stripped to his underpants and refused to leave the tree to try to prevent it being cut down. The loss of the tree caused much grief in the community. Some time later, former ward councillor and mayor Julian Hill was on the Mornington Peninsula where he saw the timber from this mighty tree for sale and arranged for its purchase by the City of Port Phillip. It was made into these two benches housed at the Port Melbourne Library. The sad part of this tale is that development was not built, nor is it likely to be, as the mood around the future of Holy Trinity has changed. If anybody can provide further details on this story and correct any details I may have got wrong, please let me know.