A 19-year-old woman has been charged nearly a year after a rural NSW town's Christmas tree was set on fire.
The festive tree on Belgrave Street in Kempsey, north-west of Port Macquarie, was put up on November 27, 2025, and was burnt just under a week later.
Kempsey Shire Council shared images of the burnt tree at the time, with the mayor Kinne Ring saying residents were understandably upset following the floods that had battered the region at the time.
"We are deeply disappointed and saddened for our community and for the council staff who, over many months, worked hard to procure, decorate and install the tree after what has been a challenging year for the shire," the council said in a statement at the time.
Yesterday, NSW police charged a 19-year-old woman with destroying property in company using fire.
She was due to face Kempsey Local Court on November 19, according to 9News.
A similar incident occurred last year in Timaru, when the town's Christmas tree had to be replaced after a suspicious fire destroyed the original, with local businesses and the council working together to install a new tree before December 25.
At the time, residents were invited to help decorate the community-funded tree, and a 30-year-old man was arrested shortly after the blaze.
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