The illegal felling of a red gum tree on the banks of Mount Emu Creek has angered the man whose land the tree stands.
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Terang's Tim Sargeant said the tree, which he estimated to be "a couple of hundred years old," is now just a stump, with most of the chopped down trunk cut up and stolen.
"I cut wood myself on this block but I have always left the big red gums alone, they are great trees," Mr Sargeant said.
"This tree was home to possums and owls but they have now gone because some people decided to cut down the tree in one foul swoop and without permission.
"They cut the tree down and then cut it up, no doubt to sell off as firewood.
"I know trees like this have also gone down on four other properties around here so they are causing some damage.
"I have reported it to the police and the Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Authority so hopefully this doesn't happen again to trees along the creek."
Mr Sargeant said those who cut down the tree did so with little skill.
He said evidence left as to how the tree was loped pointed to a major safety risk.
"You can tell by the cut that they have messed it up," he said.
"The tree has fallen the opposite way that it should have, they were very lucky it didn't fall on them."