The fees to lodge with council are not charged by Above All Tree Services. They are paid directly to Georges River Council. Prices were last checked on . We have done our best to keep these current and accurate, but you should always refer to the council's website to confirm pricing.
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Council tree rules · checked 30 September 2026
Georges River tree removal rules
Checked against Georges River Council's own documents on · Council: 02 9330 6400
In Georges River, any work on a private tree that is 3 m or taller, has a trunk 100 mm or more across at ground level, or has a branch spread of 3 m or more needs council approval first, unless it is on the council's exempt list. Exempt work includes removing deadwood, trimming hedges, fruit trees (not natives like lilly pilly or macadamia) and a published list of weed and undesirable species. Otherwise you lodge a tree permit application with a fee from $195Council fee (half price for pensioners); council aims to decide within 18 weeks.
The checker
Do I need approval to remove my tree?
Georges River's rules as a map. Answer each question and it follows your path to the answer. It's a guide: if you're unsure, ask council or ask us.
Is the tree on your own private property (not the nature strip, a park or bushland)?
Council's tree — don't touch it
Only Georges River Council can prune or remove street, park and bushland trees. Lodge a service request or call 02 9330 6400.
Is the tree 3 m or taller, or 100 mm or more across at ground level, or has a branch spread of 3 m or more?
No council approval needed
This work is exempt under the Tree Management Policy 2024. Keep photos and evidence for at least 2 years in case council inspects. State threatened species and nesting-animal rules still apply.
Is it a fruit tree (not a native), a priority weed, or on the council's exempt species list?
No council approval needed
This work is exempt under the Tree Management Policy 2024. Keep photos and evidence for at least 2 years in case council inspects. State threatened species and nesting-animal rules still apply.
Are you only removing dead branches or trimming a hedge?
No council approval needed
This work is exempt under the Tree Management Policy 2024. Keep photos and evidence for at least 2 years in case council inspects. State threatened species and nesting-animal rules still apply.
Has an AQF5 arborist assessed the tree as imminently dangerous?
Emergency removal — lodge the form within 72 hours
You may remove it without a permit, but you must submit council's Exempt Tree Works Form within 72 hours with photos, the risk level and the AQF5 arborist's statement. Otherwise it is treated as unauthorised removal.
Is the property a heritage item, part of a current DA/CDC, or on a site with a threatened ecological community?
You may need a development application
Heritage item removals, trees on sites with threatened ecological communities, and trees affected by development go through a DA, not a tree permit. Pruning on a heritage item can still use a tree permit. Speak to council's duty planner.
Apply for a tree permit
Lodge the Application to Prune or Remove Tree(s) on Private Property with the fee ($195Council fee for 1–3 trees; 50% off for pensioners). Allow up to 18 weeks.
How to apply on the Georges River website · Need an arborist report?
Size matters
How big is "protected" in Georges River?
- Height: 3 m or more
- Trunk: diameter 100 mm or more, measured at ground level
- Canopy: branch spread 3 m or more
You need approval to…
- Any work to any part of a tree, above or below ground (including cutting roots), on private land unless it is listed as exempt work.
- For this policy a tree is vegetation 3 m or more tall, or with a diameter of 100 mm or more at ground level, or a branch spread of 3 m or more.
- Pruning any of the live canopy of a tree.
- Removing dying or dead trees (dead branches alone are exempt, a whole dead tree is not).
- Removing hazardous trees where pruning or treatment will not remove the hazard (unless it is imminently dangerous and handled under the AQF5 exemption).
- Root pruning and installing root barriers.
- Removing a tree because it conflicts with a building or structure, or for building work.
- Trees on a heritage item: pruning needs a tree permit, removal needs a development application (DA).
- Trees on a site with a threatened ecological community or potential native fauna habitat, or trees affected by proposed development, need a DA rather than a tree permit.
Usually no approval needed for…
- Pruning and reshaping of hedges (two or more trees planted close together and deliberately kept pruned and shaped).
- Pruning to remove deadwood (dead branches or dead fronds) only, done to AS 4373 Pruning of Amenity Trees. This does not include removing dying or dead trees.
- Pruning or removal of any commercial or domestic tree grown for fruit or fodder, excluding native species such as Macadamia, Lilly Pilly (Acmena spp, Syzygium spp) and Blueberry Ash (Elaeocarpus spp).
- Pruning or removal of trees recognised as Priority Weeds by the Greater Sydney Local Land Services Regional Weed Management Plan.
- Pruning or removal of trees on the council's exempt species list.
- Removal of an imminently dangerous tree as assessed by an AQF5 arborist, with the Exempt Tree Works Form submitted within 72 hours of removal.
- Trees subject to an order under the Local Government Act 1993, Land and Environment Court Act 1979, Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 or Trees (Disputes between Neighbours) Act 2006.
- Emergency tree work by council, the SES or the RFS when done by an authorised person (keep the reference number).
- Pruning branches from electrical wires under the Electricity Supply Act 1995 by an authorised person.
- Vegetation less than 3 m tall with a branch spread less than 3 m (it is not a 'tree' under the policy).
Georges River's exempt species list (26 entries): trees you can usually remove without a permit
- Bamboo (Bambusa spp)
- Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
- Black mulberry (Morus nigra)
- Camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora), only when under 6 m tall
- Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis), only when under 6 m tall
- Chinese hackberry (Celtis sinensis), only when under 6 m tall
- Cocos palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana)
- Common willow (Salix babylonica)
- Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster spp)
- Cootamundra wattle (Acacia baileyana)
- Coral tree (Erythrina x sykesii)
- Cockspur coral tree (Erythrina crista-galli)
- Hibiscus (Hibiscus spp), excluding native rosella (Hibiscus heterophyllus) and cottonwood hibiscus (Hibiscus tiliaceus)
- Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos)
- Norfolk Island hibiscus (Lagunaria patersonii)
- Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra 'Italica')
- Oleander (Nerium oleander)
- Broad-leaf privet (Ligustrum lucidum)
- Narrow-leaf privet (Ligustrum sinense)
- Running bamboo (Phyllostachys spp)
- Rhus tree (Toxicodendron spp)
- Rubber tree (Ficus elastica)
- Silky oak (Grevillea robusta), only when under 6 m tall
- Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
- Umbrella tree (Schefflera actinophylla)
- Wild olive / African olive (Olea europaea subsp cuspidata)
Exemptions usually don't apply on heritage properties. Not sure what your tree is? Send us a photo.
Step by step
How to apply in Georges River.
From checking the rules to planting the replacement tree.
Check whether your tree is covered
Measure it: if it is under 3 m tall, under 100 mm across at ground level and under 3 m branch spread, it is not a 'tree' under the policy. Then check the exempt works and exempt species list in the Tree Management Policy 2024.
Check for heritage, development or threatened species issues
If the property is a heritage item and you want removal, or there is a DA/CDC on the property, or the site has a threatened ecological community, you need a development application instead of a tree permit.
Complete the application form
Fill in the Application to Prune or Remove Tree(s) on Private Property, including a sketch plan numbering each tree, its species and the reason. Mark the trees on site so the inspecting officer can find them.
Attach supporting evidence
If the reason is damage, blocked pipes or past branch failures, attach a report from an AQF5 arborist, building inspector or structural engineer, plus photos.
Lodge and pay
Lodge in person at the Hurstville or Kogarah service centre, by post (PO Box 205, Hurstville NSW 1481) or by email (mail@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au). The fee must be paid before the application is accepted.
Council inspection and decision
A council arborist inspects the tree (visual tree assessment) and sends a written permit or refusal. Allow up to 18 weeks.
Do only the approved work
Follow the permit conditions exactly, use a suitably qualified and insured contractor, and plant the required replacement trees (usually 2 per tree removed, 45 L) within 6 weeks.
Ask for a review if refused
You can request a Stage 1 review ($115Council fee) within 6 months with new information, then a Stage 2 panel review ($205Council fee).
Council fees paid to Georges River Council, not to Above All Tree Services
| Council fee for | Council fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tree management inspection (private land) — 1 to 3 trees | $195.00Council fee | Per application, 2026/27 schedule. Pensioner discount 50%. |
| Tree management inspection (private land) — 4 to 6 trees | $285.00Council fee | Per application. Pensioner discount 50%. |
| Each additional tree over 6 | $30.50Council fee | Per tree, on top of the 4–6 tree fee. |
| Review of a private tree decision — Stage 1 | $115.00Council fee | Must be lodged within 6 months, with new information. |
| Review of a private tree decision — Stage 2 (internal panel) | $205.00Council fee | |
| Offset fee instead of replacement planting (only if council offers it) | $1,060.90Council fee / $2,121.80Council fee / $3,182.70Council fee | Per replacement tree, for low / medium / high significance trees. Applicants cannot choose this option. |
Processing: Council aims to assess the application and issue a permit within 18 weeks. Delays happen if officers cannot get access or the information is incomplete.
The details
Everything else you should know.
The situations that trip people up, from Georges River council's own rules.
Pruning
Without approval you may only remove deadwood (dead branches or dead fronds with no live leaves, buds or living cambium), prune hedges, and prune fruit trees or species on the exempt list. Deadwood removal must follow AS 4373 Pruning of Amenity Trees. Any pruning of the live canopy, and any root pruning, needs a tree permit. Council has no "percentage of canopy" allowance.
Dead or dangerous trees
A dead or dying tree still needs a permit to remove it. An imminently dangerous tree can be removed without a permit only if an arborist with a minimum AQF Level 5 assesses it, and you submit council's online Exempt Tree Works Form within 72 hours of removal with photos, the level of risk, and the arborist's statement that the work was the minimum needed. If the form is not lodged, or council does not agree, it is treated as unauthorised removal. The exemption does not apply where a tree has been, or is suspected of being, vandalised. Keep evidence for at least 2 years.
Arborist reports
Not mandatory for a standard permit, but where you rely on problems not visible at inspection (building damage, blocked sewers, previously fallen branches) council expects a report from an AQF Level 5 arborist, a registered building inspector or a structural engineer. An AQF5 arborist is required for the imminently dangerous tree exemption, and an AQF5 arboricultural report and tree risk assessment is required to justify removing a tree in a Heritage Conservation Area by tree permit.
Replacement planting
Approved removals usually require two replacement trees for each tree removed (2:1), planted on your property in a minimum 45 L pot within 6 weeks of removal (or as the permit says), and maintained to maturity. Council may reduce the ratio in exceptional cases, or may offer an offset fee where the site has no room. Council audits replacements and may fine owners who do not plant them.
Bushfire and the 10/50 rule
Council's bushfire prone land map covers parts of the Peakhurst, Mortdale and Hurstville wards, and council says owners in a bushfire prone zone may be eligible for the RFS 10/50 Vegetation Clearing scheme. Eligibility is set by the RFS, so check your address with the RFS 10/50 online tool before relying on it.
Heritage properties
On a heritage item (or State Heritage Item or Interim Heritage Order), pruning can be approved by tree permit but removal needs a development application. In a Heritage Conservation Area, pruning goes through a tree permit; removal can be approved by tree permit only if council is satisfied the tree is a risk to life or property (LEP clause 5.10(3)(c)), backed by an AQF5 arboricultural report and tree risk assessment. Otherwise removal needs a DA. Council also keeps a Significant Tree Register (257 trees at 16 sites adopted December 2023).
Your neighbour's tree
A direct neighbour can apply to prune branches overhanging their property back to the boundary without the tree owner's permission, but cannot apply to remove the tree and cannot enter the neighbour's land without permission. Pruning past the boundary needs the owner's consent. Council cannot force a neighbour to act or mediate; it suggests a Community Justice Centre, then the Land and Environment Court under the Trees (Disputes between Neighbours) Act 2006.
Street and park trees
Only council can prune or remove public trees on the nature strip, verge or in bushland. Anyone else who works on them can be fined or prosecuted. Lodge a service request with council for street tree pruning. Where a DA or driveway approval affects a street tree, a separate public-land application ($175.05Council fee) applies and the work must be done by council's listed contractors.
Penalties
Council says penalty notices range from $1,500 for individuals to $6,000 for corporations. In court, the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 maximum is $1 million for an individual and $5 million for a corporation where the offence caused or was likely to cause significant harm to the environment. Council states it regularly prosecutes unauthorised tree removal and damage.
What's different about Georges River
- Georges River's definition of a tree is broad: 3 m tall OR 100 mm diameter at ground level OR 3 m branch spread — many small trees need a permit.
- Imminently dangerous trees can be removed without a permit only with an AQF5 arborist assessment and the online Exempt Tree Works Form lodged within 72 hours.
- Approved removals normally require 2:1 replacement planting in 45 L pots within 6 weeks; council audits and fines non-compliance.
- Council keeps a Significant Tree Register (257 trees at 16 sites, adopted 18 December 2023), including Moreton Bay figs at Sans Souci and blackbutts at Connells Point.
- Bushfire prone land mapping covers parts of the Peakhurst, Mortdale and Hurstville wards (Oatley, Lugarno and foreshore bushland areas); 10/50 eligibility is checked through the RFS.
Trees common in Georges River
- Sydney red gum (Angophora costata)
- Blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis)
- Moreton Bay fig (Ficus macrophylla)
- Small-leaved fig (Ficus obliqua)
- Hills weeping fig (Ficus microcarpa 'Hillii')
- Brush box (Lophostemon confertus)
- White cedar (Melia azedarach)
- Bunya pine (Araucaria bidwillii)
Suburbs
18 Georges River suburbs we cover.
Each suburb page has local notes, jobs nearby and a link back here.
Questions
Georges River tree rules: questions.
Do I need council approval to remove a tree in Georges River?
In Georges River, any work on a private tree that is 3 m or taller, has a trunk 100 mm or more across at ground level, or has a branch spread of 3 m or more needs council approval first, unless it is on the council's exempt list. Exempt work includes removing deadwood, trimming hedges, fruit trees (not natives like lilly pilly or macadamia) and a published list of weed and undesirable species. Otherwise you lodge a tree permit application with a fee from $195Council fee (half price for pensioners); council aims to decide within 18 weeks.
Can I prune a tree without a permit in Georges River?
Without approval you may only remove deadwood (dead branches or dead fronds with no live leaves, buds or living cambium), prune hedges, and prune fruit trees or species on the exempt list. Deadwood removal must follow AS 4373 Pruning of Amenity Trees. Any pruning of the live canopy, and any root pruning, needs a tree permit. Council has no "percentage of canopy" allowance.
How much does a tree permit cost in Georges River?
This is a council fee, paid to Georges River Council, not to us. Tree management inspection (private land) — 1 to 3 trees: $195.00Council fee (Per application, 2026/27 schedule. Pensioner discount 50%.). Other council fees are listed on this page.
How long does Georges River council take to decide?
Council aims to assess the application and issue a permit within 18 weeks. Delays happen if officers cannot get access or the information is incomplete.
Can I remove a dead or dangerous tree in Georges River?
A dead or dying tree still needs a permit to remove it. An imminently dangerous tree can be removed without a permit only if an arborist with a minimum AQF Level 5 assesses it, and you submit council's online Exempt Tree Works Form within 72 hours of removal with photos, the level of risk, and the arborist's statement that the work was the minimum needed. If the form is not lodged, or council does not agree, it is treated as unauthorised removal. The exemption does not apply where a tree has been, or is suspected of being, vandalised. Keep evidence for at least 2 years.
Can I prune or remove the street tree outside my house?
Only council can prune or remove public trees on the nature strip, verge or in bushland. Anyone else who works on them can be fined or prosecuted. Lodge a service request with council for street tree pruning. Where a DA or driveway approval affects a street tree, a separate public-land application ($175.05Council fee) applies and the work must be done by council's listed contractors.
Sources: what Georges River council actually says
“A tree is defined as vegetation having a: Height of 3 metres or more, or Diameter of 100mm or more when measured at ground level, or Branch spread of 3 metres or more.”
“Council approval is required for works to any part of a tree, above or below ground, with the exception of exempt works.”
“Removal of imminently dangerous trees as assessed by an AQF5 arborist and accompanied by the completion and submission of the Exempt Tree Works Form within 72 hours of the tree's removal.”
“Council aims to complete the application assessment process and issue a permit within an eighteen week timeframe.”
Rules come from: Georges River Council Tree Management Policy 2024 (Pol-058.03.1, adopted 27 May 2024, effective 10 June 2024), read with the Georges River Development Control Plan 2021 and Georges River LEP 2021; permits are issued under State Environmental Planning Policy (Biodiversity and Conservation) 2021.
- Tree Management — Georges River Council (FAQs)
- Tree Pruning and Removal Guidelines — Georges River Council
- Tree Management Policy 2024 (PDF)
- Application to Prune or Remove Tree(s) on Private Property (PDF form)
- Exempt Tree Works Form (online)
- Schedule of Fees and Charges 2026/27 (PDF)
- Tree Prosecutions — Georges River Council
- Resolving Tree Disputes — Georges River Council
- Street Tree Management — Georges River Council
- Tree Planting (replacement trees) — Georges River Council
- Significant Tree Register — Georges River Council
- Bushland (bushfire prone land) — Georges River Council
Checked against Georges River Council's own pages and documents on 30 September 2026. Councils change their rules and fees, usually on 1 July, so confirm with Georges River Council (02 9330 6400) before any work. This page is a plain-English guide, not legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
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