If any trees on public, Council-managed land are causing you concern or affecting your property please report the public tree and we’ll see what we can do. Once we’ve made an appropriate assessment, we may be able to prune or remove the offending trees. 

Work we can assess to do

Habitat Trees

For habitat trees, we’ll remove the minimum amount to make tree safe (unless it's a risk to a road or access) while still retaining habitat value, such as leaving a hollow stump for nesting birds.

Root Pruning, Pruning Branches and Crowning

• Crown-thinning for pedestrian or vehicular access where it's not detrimental to the tree.
• Maintenance pruning to remove dead, diseased, dying and defective branches.
• Selective pruning to remove branches causing conflict, such as excessive encroachment onto buildings.
• Root pruning to reduce damage to built and natural structures.
• Pruning for vehicle sight lines, signage, and Roads and Maritime Services requirements.
• Service lines clearances are carried out by Ausgrid in bush fire zone areas or where the line is not insulated.

Tree Removal

• Removal of unsuitable or hazardous trees.
• Emergency works related to storms or major service disruptions or damage where there is no alternative.
• Removal of trees in conflict with utilities and built structures where all engineering alternatives have been considered.

What we won’t consent to

Pruning

• Pruning of trees contrary to Australian Standards 4373.
• Pruning beyond what a particular species will tolerate, eg. figs pruned by more than 10% are predisposed to sunburn.
• Requests for topping of trees.
• Chemical controls unless absolutely necessary, such as termite control on nature strips.

Tree Removal

• Removing healthy and stable trees.
• Removing healthy trees with good structure and no obvious defects.
• Removing trees for views, solar access, leaf, fruit or sap drop, bird or bat droppings.
• Removing trees causing damage to structures such as footpaths, fences, damage to sewer pipes, built structures and driveways unless all other alternatives have been exhausted.
• Removal of trees over 5m in height for new driveway access or crossovers unless all other alternatives have been exhausted.

We’ll do what we can to help

If trees on any public land are affecting you, please feel free to report the public tree . You can phone our Tree Management Team on 1300 434 434.