...it is rather dreadful that the loveliest things in this country are sometimes subject to destruction by authorities who really have no idea that the things they destroy are lovely.

We have simply got to stop the destruction of roadside beauty - to stop the councils from demolishing instead of protecting the natural beauty that grows along the highways. The most maddening part about the whole thing is that [there] were these beautiful gum trees, wild cherries and so on...these wretched councillors, who give their authority for the hacking of native beauty would do every thing to protect these stupid things. You can't speak to these people about this sort of thing because they simply don't understand what you're talking about... And so you see why all the native beauty of this country is slowly and tragically disappearing, is vanishing under the axe and slasher of men instructed by those ignorant of, and completely ignoring the native beauty of the countryside.

Ignorance of beauty is not an excuse, and the destruction of beauty is not intelligent.