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Council tree rules · checked 30 September 2026
Wollongong tree removal rules
Checked against Wollongong City Council's own documents on · Council: 02 4227 7111
In Wollongong you need a Tree Permit from Council before you prune or remove a tree on your land that is 5 metres or taller, or has a trunk 30 cm or more across at ground level, unless the species is on Council's Exempt Trees list. Pruning branches more than 10 cm in diameter, pruning large roots, and removing dead or dying trees also need a permit. If the tree work is part of building a house, extension, pool or similar, it is approved through the Development Application instead.
The checker
Do I need approval to remove my tree?
Wollongong'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 footpath, a park or other public land)?
Council's tree — don't touch it
Street, verge and park trees belong to Council. Report problems online or call (02) 4227 7111.
Is the tree work part of building work or other development (house, extension, pool, granny flat)?
Include it in your Development Application
Tree work for a development is assessed through the DA (or Complying Development rules). Call Council on (02) 4227 7111 if unsure.
Is the tree a heritage item, in a heritage conservation area, or in threatened-species habitat or bushland?
Extra rules apply — ask Council first
Heritage, threatened-species and bushland trees are not covered by the exemptions and may need a DA. Call (02) 4227 7111 before any work.
Is the tree an immediate danger to people or property right now?
Make it safe, then apply within 72 hours
Call SES on 132 500 if needed. Only make the dangerous part safe, take photos, and lodge a Tree Permit within 72 hours for any further work.
Is the species on Council's Exempt Trees list (or a domestic fruit tree)?
No Council permit needed
You can do this work without a Tree Permit. Take a photo first as a record and use a qualified arborist.
Is the tree 5 m or taller, or is the trunk 30 cm or more across at ground level?
No Council permit needed
You can do this work without a Tree Permit. Take a photo first as a record and use a qualified arborist.
Are you only pruning branches under 10 cm in diameter (no large roots, no live palm fronds)?
No Council permit needed
You can do this work without a Tree Permit. Take a photo first as a record and use a qualified arborist.
Apply for a Tree Permit
Apply through Council's Online Self Service. The fee is $114Council fee for 1 to 2 trees; allow about 28 days.
How to apply on the Wollongong website · Need an arborist report?
Size matters
How big is "protected" in Wollongong?
- Height: 5 m or more (DCP E17 definition of a declared tree)
- Trunk: diameter 30 cm (300 mm) or more, measured at ground level
- Canopy: pruning branches more than 10 cm in diameter needs a permit
You need approval to…
- Any tree 5 metres or more in height (a 'declared tree') that is not on the Exempt Trees list.
- Any tree with a trunk diameter of 30 cm or more, measured at ground level, that is not on the Exempt Trees list.
- Pruning branches that are more than 10 cm in diameter.
- Pruning large roots (major structural or anchor roots).
- Dead or dying trees — the same rules apply to dead trees as to living ones.
- Cutting live fronds from, or removing, a live palm.
- Hedges that have not been kept below 5 metres since planting.
- Any native vegetation mapped on Council's vegetation maps, habitat for threatened species, heritage vegetation, or vegetation within 40 metres of the top bank of a creek, river, wetland or other waterway (declared vegetation under DCP E17 section 8.2).
- Tree work that is part of a development (house, extension, granny flat, pool, garage) needs a Development Application rather than a Tree Permit.
Usually no approval needed for…
- Trees on Council's Exempt Trees list — unless the tree is a heritage item, in a heritage conservation area, part of a threatened ecological community or threatened-species habitat, or required to be kept by a consent, Section 88B restriction or covenant.
- Trees under 5 metres tall and under 30 cm trunk diameter at ground level (Council's guide says you can prune or remove these without consent).
- Pruning branches less than 10 cm in diameter (Council recommends a qualified arborist).
- Removing dead fronds, flower spikes or fruit from a palm.
- Trimming a hedge that has been kept as a hedge since planting and kept under 5 metres.
- Trees grown specifically for their edible fruit (domestic fruit trees).
- Trees listed as a priority weed or other weed of concern in the South East Regional Strategic Weed Management Plan.
- Clearing in line with the NSW RFS 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Code of Practice.
- Trees already approved for removal in a development consent, or removal that meets the Complying Development rules.
- Works to make a tree safe where there is an immediate threat of injury or property damage during or within 48 hours after a severe weather event (a permit must then be lodged within 72 hours for any further work).
- Rural-zoned land (RU1, RU2, RU4) where the work is not part of a DA — approval comes from Local Land Services, not Council.
Wollongong's exempt species list (29 entries): trees you can usually remove without a permit
- African fern pine / Yellowwood (Afrocarpus falcatus, syn. Nageia falcatus)
- African olive (Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata)
- Alder (Alnus species)
- Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
- Box elder (Acer negundo)
- Camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora)
- Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis)
- China doll (Radermachera sinica)
- Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera, syn. Sapium sebiferum)
- Cocos or Queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana)
- Common hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
- Coral tree (Erythrina x sykesii)
- Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster species)
- Domestic fruit trees
- Golden cypress pine (Cupressus macrocarpa 'Brunniana')
- Goldenrain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata)
- Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos)
- Kaffir plum (Harpephyllum caffrum)
- Liquidambar (Liquidambar species)
- Norfolk Island hibiscus / Itchy pod tree (Lagunaria patersonii)
- Oleander (Nerium oleander)
- Peppercorn / Pepper tree (Schinus areira)
- Poplar (Populus species)
- Privet (Ligustrum species)
- Radiata pine (Pinus radiata)
- Rubber tree (Ficus elastica)
- Silky oak (Grevillea robusta)
- Umbrella tree (Schefflera actinophylla)
- Willow (Salix species)
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 Wollongong.
From checking the rules to planting the replacement tree.
Check whether your tree needs a permit
Measure the height and the trunk width at ground level, and check the Exempt Trees list. Under 5 m and under 30 cm trunk, or on the exempt list (and not heritage or threatened-species habitat), usually means no permit.
Check other approvals
If the work is for a new house, extension, pool or granny flat, include it in your DA instead. If you are rural-zoned (RU1, RU2, RU4), contact Local Land Services. If you are in a 10/50 area, check the RFS tool.
Get the owner's consent
If you are not the owner (tenant, strata, company, trustee), attach written owner's consent — strata needs the Body Corporate's approval and seal.
Prepare your information
Gather an aerial map or sketch showing each tree, photos, the number and type of trees, your reasons, any expert reports, and access details (locked gates, dogs).
Apply and pay
Log in to Council's Online Self Service and choose Permits or Licences, then Tree Permit — or lodge the PDF form by post or at 41 Burelli Street. The fee is $114Council fee for 1 to 2 trees plus $52Council fee for each extra tree.
Tag the trees for inspection
Mark each tree with brightly coloured tape or ribbon and make sure Council's officer can get onto the property.
Follow the permit conditions
Only do the work the permit allows, have a qualified arborist carry out approved pruning, and finish within the one-year validity.
Plant the replacement tree
Collect your replacement tree from the Botanic Garden's Greenplan Plant Sales with your permit, or pay Council to plant one on public land.
Council fees paid to Wollongong City Council, not to Above All Tree Services
| Council fee for | Council fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tree Permit application — 1 to 2 trees | $114.00Council fee | incl. GST (no GST applies), from Council's fees table on the Apply for a Tree Permit page |
| Tree Permit application — each additional tree (trees 3 to 10) | $52.00Council fee | per additional tree |
| Tree Permit — pensioner rate | 50% of the application fee | subject to Council confirming pensioner rebate eligibility; not available to strata applications |
| Review of a Tree Permit determination | 50% of the application fee | request within three months of the date on the permit |
| Replacement tree planted by Council on public land | $150.00Council fee | optional, if you cannot plant the replacement tree on your own property |
Processing: Usually processed within 28 days (the rules page says around 28 working days). Permits are valid for one year and cannot be extended.
The details
Everything else you should know.
The situations that trip people up, from Wollongong council's own rules.
Pruning
Without a permit you may prune branches less than 10 cm in diameter, remove dead palm fronds, flower spikes and fruit, and keep an established hedge trimmed below 5 metres. Pruning branches over 10 cm, pruning large roots or cutting live palm fronds needs a Tree Permit. Council recommends using a qualified arborist, and approved pruning under a permit must be done by a qualified arborist in line with the Australian Standard for pruning (AS 4373). Pruning just for better views or more sun on solar panels is generally not accepted.
Dead or dangerous trees
A dead or dying tree still needs a permit if it meets the size rules. If a tree is an immediate threat to people or property, emergency services (SES 132 500, RFS) or Council can make it safe, and the owner can make it safe without permission — but only the part of the tree causing the risk (not the whole tree if one branch is the problem). Take photos before the work, keep any emergency reference number and an arborist's report, and apply for a Tree Permit within 72 hours if more work or full removal is needed.
Arborist reports
Not required for every Tree Permit, but Council asks you to attach relevant reports if available (arborist, structural engineer, plumber, geotechnical) and may ask for one. For development applications, DCP E17 says a report-writing arborist must be eligible for membership as a Consulting Arborist and hold a Level 5 Certificate in Horticulture/Arboriculture or equivalent. Tree root damage to a sewer must be backed by written evidence from a licensed plumber.
Replacement planting
Every Tree Permit to remove a tree includes a condition that you plant a replacement tree. You can present your permit at Wollongong Botanic Garden's Greenplan Plant Sales to receive a tree (two trees in low canopy cover suburbs), or pay Council a fee ($150Council fee) to plant one on public land if there is no room on your property.
Bushfire and the 10/50 rule
Yes — Council says residents in some areas close to the bush can clear trees around their home under the NSW RFS 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Scheme, and Council maps bush fire prone land (bushland on or within 100 metres of a property). Clearing under the RFS 10/50 Code of Practice does not need a Council permit, but strict rules apply — check the NSW RFS 10/50 online tool for your address first.
Heritage properties
Exempt-list trees are not exempt if they are a heritage item or within a heritage conservation area. Work on trees that are, or form part of, a heritage item listed in Wollongong LEP 2009 Schedule 5 generally needs a Development Application unless Council is satisfied the work is minor. Aboriginal objects or places, and State heritage items, may need separate State approvals. Check your property on Council's online maps or call Council.
Your neighbour's tree
Talk to the neighbour (or owner) first. If they agree, the owner applies for the permit. If they do not, you can apply to prune only the parts of the tree hanging over your side of the boundary, but you cannot apply to remove a tree on someone else's land without their agreement. Council does not settle neighbour tree disputes — see LawAccess NSW. A tree on the boundary belongs to the property where most of the trunk sits at ground level; if it is on more than one property you need the neighbour's written approval to apply.
Street and park trees
Never prune or remove trees on public land, including the footpath (verge) in front of your home. Report street or park tree problems to Council online or on (02) 4227 7111 (also after hours for dangerous public trees). You can also request a free street tree.
Penalties
Breaching Council's Tree Management Policy is an offence under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. Council may send a warning letter, issue an on-the-spot Penalty Notice, or take action in the Local Court or Land and Environment Court, where the maximum penalty is $1.1 million.
What's different about Wollongong
- Wollongong measures trunk width at ground level (not at 1 metre or chest height, as many Sydney councils do).
- Removal approvals always carry a replacement-planting condition; permit holders get a free tree from the Botanic Garden's Greenplan Plant Sales, or two in low canopy cover suburbs.
- Rural-zoned land (RU1, RU2, RU4) is handled by Local Land Services, not Council, unless the work is part of a DA.
- Vegetation within 40 metres of the top bank of a creek, river or wetland is declared vegetation under DCP E17, which matters on the creek-lined escarpment slopes of the northern suburbs.
- Council's online map (IntraMaps) and a Planning Certificate show whether your property is bush fire prone — relevant for escarpment-edge suburbs from Helensburgh to Thirroul.
Trees common in Wollongong
- Blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis)
- Swamp mahogany (Eucalyptus robusta)
- Port Jackson fig (Ficus rubiginosa)
- Small-leaved fig (Ficus obliqua)
- Cabbage tree palm (Livistona australis)
- Red cedar (Toona ciliata)
- Swamp oak (Casuarina glauca)
- Coast banksia (Banksia integrifolia)
Suburbs
14 Wollongong suburbs we cover.
Each suburb page has local notes, jobs nearby and a link back here.
Questions
Wollongong tree rules: questions.
Do I need council approval to remove a tree in Wollongong?
In Wollongong you need a Tree Permit from Council before you prune or remove a tree on your land that is 5 metres or taller, or has a trunk 30 cm or more across at ground level, unless the species is on Council's Exempt Trees list. Pruning branches more than 10 cm in diameter, pruning large roots, and removing dead or dying trees also need a permit. If the tree work is part of building a house, extension, pool or similar, it is approved through the Development Application instead.
Can I prune a tree without a permit in Wollongong?
Without a permit you may prune branches less than 10 cm in diameter, remove dead palm fronds, flower spikes and fruit, and keep an established hedge trimmed below 5 metres. Pruning branches over 10 cm, pruning large roots or cutting live palm fronds needs a Tree Permit. Council recommends using a qualified arborist, and approved pruning under a permit must be done by a qualified arborist in line with the Australian Standard for pruning (AS 4373). Pruning just for better views or more sun on solar panels is generally not accepted.
How much does a tree permit cost in Wollongong?
This is a council fee, paid to Wollongong City Council, not to us. Tree Permit application — 1 to 2 trees: $114.00Council fee (incl. GST (no GST applies), from Council's fees table on the Apply for a Tree Permit page). Other council fees are listed on this page.
How long does Wollongong council take to decide?
Usually processed within 28 days (the rules page says around 28 working days). Permits are valid for one year and cannot be extended.
Can I remove a dead or dangerous tree in Wollongong?
A dead or dying tree still needs a permit if it meets the size rules. If a tree is an immediate threat to people or property, emergency services (SES 132 500, RFS) or Council can make it safe, and the owner can make it safe without permission — but only the part of the tree causing the risk (not the whole tree if one branch is the problem). Take photos before the work, keep any emergency reference number and an arborist's report, and apply for a Tree Permit within 72 hours if more work or full removal is needed.
Can I prune or remove the street tree outside my house?
Never prune or remove trees on public land, including the footpath (verge) in front of your home. Report street or park tree problems to Council online or on (02) 4227 7111 (also after hours for dangerous public trees). You can also request a free street tree.
Sources: what Wollongong council actually says
“More than 5m high, or have a trunk more than 30cm wide at ground level, or branches more than 10cm in diameter - this still applies if the tree is dead or dying”
“Declared tree is defined as - a) Five (5) metres or more in height; or b) Have a diameter of 30 cm (300mm) or more measured at ground level.”
“If the branches on the tree are less than 10 centimetres in diameter, you have permission to prune the tree without applying for a Tree Permit.”
“You will also need to apply for a Tree Permit within 72 hours of the emergency if more work needs to be done on the tree, or if it needs to be removed entirely.”
Rules come from: Wollongong DCP 2009, Chapter E17 Preservation and Management of Trees and Vegetation (in force 1 July 2023), made under SEPP (Biodiversity and Conservation) 2021; Wollongong City Council Tree Management Policy (adopted 15 December 2025).
- Tree Management Rules — City of Wollongong
- Exempt Trees — City of Wollongong
- Apply for a Tree Permit (steps and fees) — City of Wollongong
- Ask a Question About Tree Permits (FAQs) — City of Wollongong
- Dangerous Trees — City of Wollongong
- Issues with Neighbours' Trees — City of Wollongong
- Trees in Front of Your House — City of Wollongong
- Trees and Development — City of Wollongong
- Plant a New or Replacement Tree — City of Wollongong
- Wollongong DCP 2009 Chapter E17 Preservation and Management of Trees and Vegetation (in force 1 July 2023)
- Tree Management Council Policy (adopted 15 December 2025)
- Managing Trees in Wollongong — A Customer Guide (in force 1 July 2023)
- Development on Bush Fire Prone Land — City of Wollongong
- Grow Local Illawarra Native Garden Guide — Wollongong City Council
Checked against Wollongong City Council's own pages and documents on 30 September 2026. Councils change their rules and fees, usually on 1 July, so confirm with Wollongong City Council (02 4227 7111) before any work. This page is a plain-English guide, not legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
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