The fees to lodge with council are not charged by Above All Tree Services. They are paid directly to Woollahra Municipal 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
Woollahra tree removal rules
Checked against Woollahra Municipal Council's own documents on · Council: 02 9391 7000
In Woollahra a tree is protected ("prescribed") if its branch spread is more than 3 m or it is taller than 5 m, and also if it is on the Significant Tree Register, is a heritage item, or stands on heritage-listed land or in a heritage conservation area. Pruning or removing a prescribed tree needs a Tree Works permit ($114Council fee for one tree in 2026-27), or a Development Application for significant or heritage trees where the work is more than minor. Dead trees, imminently dangerous trees (with an AQF Level 5 arborist's evidence) and a list of weed species are exempt.
The checker
Do I need approval to remove my tree?
Woollahra'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 a street, park, laneway or reserve)?
Council's tree — don't touch it
Residents are never authorised to prune or remove Council trees. Call 02 9391 7000 or email records@woollahra.nsw.gov.au.
Is the tree dead, or an imminent danger to life or property?
Exempt, but get proof
Dead trees can be removed. For an imminently dangerous tree, get documentary evidence from an AQF Level 5 arborist and give it to Council.
Is it on the Significant Tree Register, a heritage item, or on heritage-listed land or in a heritage conservation area?
Is the work more than minor pruning, or removal of a Significant Register or heritage-listed tree?
You need a Development Application
Removing a Significant Register or heritage-listed tree, or more than minor heritage work, needs a DA. A heritage impact assessment may be required.
How to apply on the Woollahra website · Need an arborist report?
You need a Tree Works permit
Lodge the Tree Works application with $114Council fee for one tree ($42Council fee each extra). Allow about four weeks.
How to apply on the Woollahra website · Need an arborist report?
Is it a listed Group A exempt species, or a Group B species under 10 m?
No permit, but notify and replant
Give Council written notice at least 7 days before, and plant a replacement tree in at least a 100-litre pot.
Is the branch spread over 3 m or the height over 5 m (or are you pruning roots over 50 mm)?
You need a Tree Works permit
Lodge the Tree Works application with $114Council fee for one tree ($42Council fee each extra). Allow about four weeks.
How to apply on the Woollahra website · Need an arborist report?
No approval needed
The tree isn't prescribed under the DCP. Follow AS 4373 if pruning.
Size matters
How big is "protected" in Woollahra?
- Height: greater than 5 m
- Canopy: branch spread (diameter) greater than 3 m, irrespective of height
- Roots: root pruning of roots greater than 50 mm diameter
You need approval to…
- Any tree or vegetation with a branch spread (diameter) greater than 3 m, or a height greater than 5 m regardless of spread, unless it is an exempt species or exempt work.
- Pruning roots greater than 50 mm diameter on any vegetation.
- Any tree or palm on Council's Significant Tree Register.
- Any tree or palm that is a heritage item, is on land containing a heritage item, or is on land in a heritage conservation area (Schedule 5, Woollahra LEP 2014).
- Any bushland as defined in the former SEPP 19 – Bushland in Urban Areas.
- A Development Application (not a permit) is needed if the work is part of other development needing a DA, if a Significant Register tree is to be removed, or if work on a heritage-listed tree or land is more than minor.
- A tree conditioned to be retained under a development consent needs a section 4.55 modification.
Usually no approval needed for…
- Removal of dead trees or dead branches (make sure the tree isn't simply a leafless deciduous tree).
- Pruning branches no larger than 50 mm diameter to give up to 2 m clearance from a roof, an external wall of a building, or powerlines (s48 Electricity Supply Act 1995).
- Removal of parasitic plants from a tree.
- Removal or pruning where the tree poses an imminent danger to property or life — documentary evidence from an arborist with a minimum AQF Level 5 qualification must be given to Council.
- Removal of species declared under the Biosecurity Act 2015 as prescribed for the Woollahra area.
- Group A species can be removed at any height, and Group B species if under 10 m, but only if the tree is not on the Significant Tree Register, not a heritage item, not on heritage land whose listing includes the grounds or garden, and is replaced with a suitable tree in at least a 100-litre pot. The owner must give Council written notice at least 7 days before the work.
Woollahra's exempt species list (18 entries): trees you can usually remove without a permit
- Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) — Group A
- Leyland cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii) — Group A
- Coral trees (Erythrina spp.) — Group A
- Rubber tree (Ficus elastica) — Group A
- Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) — Group A
- Norfolk Island hibiscus (Lagunaria patersonia) — Group A
- Banana (Musa cavendishii) — Group A
- Privet (Ligustrum spp.) — Group A
- Oleander (Nerium oleander) — Group A
- African olive (Olea europaea subsp. africana) — Group A
- Willow (Salix spp.) — Group A
- Running (rhizomatous) bamboo — Group A
- Umbrella tree (Schefflera actinophylla) — Group A
- Giant bird of paradise (Strelitzia nicolai) — Group A
- Cocos palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana) — Group A
- Camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora) — Group B, only if under 10 m
- Hackberry (Celtis spp.) — Group B, only if under 10 m
- Poplar (Populus spp.) — Group B, only if under 10 m
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 Woollahra.
From checking the rules to planting the replacement tree.
Woollahra Council only accepts arborist reports from AQF Level 5 arborists whose company has no financial link to a tree removal or pruning business, so we can’t write a report for a Woollahra application; we can recommend an independent consultant and quote the approved work.
Check whether your tree is prescribed
Is its branch spread over 3 m or height over 5 m? Is it on the Significant Tree Register, a heritage item, or on land in a heritage conservation area? If none apply, you don't need approval.
Check the exemptions
Dead trees, 50 mm clearance pruning within 2 m of a roof or wall, and Group A/B weed species (with a 7-day written notice and 100-litre replacement) may be exempt. Imminently dangerous trees need AQF Level 5 arborist evidence.
Work out if you need a permit or a DA
Most work needs a Tree Works permit. Removing a Significant Register tree, more than minor work on heritage trees, or work tied to building development needs a Development Application.
Get every owner's signature
All legal owners must sign. Strata needs the common seal and meeting minutes naming the tree and the work. Tenants and managing agents can't sign for the owner.
Lodge the form with the fee
Email the Tree Works form to records@woollahra.nsw.gov.au, post it to PO Box 61 Double Bay 1360, or lodge it at 536 New South Head Road, with $114Council fee for one tree ($42Council fee each extra).
Wait for the written determination
A Council arborist inspects (about four weeks) and neighbours are usually notified. Don't start work until you have the written determination, then hire a qualified arborist and plant any required replacement.
Council fees paid to Woollahra Municipal Council, not to Above All Tree Services
| Council fee for | Council fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tree works application (prune or remove private tree) — 1 tree | $114Council fee | Valid to 30 June 2027. $42Council fee per additional tree. Non-refundable processing fee; card payments incur a processing fee. |
| Review of determination | 50% of the original fee | Must be lodged within 12 months of the original determination, with new information such as an arborist or engineering report. |
Processing: About four weeks, including a site inspection and, in most cases, notification of adjoining properties.
The details
Everything else you should know.
The situations that trip people up, from Woollahra council's own rules.
Pruning
Without approval you may remove dead branches, remove parasitic plants, and prune branches no larger than 50 mm diameter (at the nearest branch collar or junction) to give up to 2 m clearance from a roof, an external wall or powerlines. Any other pruning of a prescribed tree needs a permit. All work must follow AS 4373 Pruning of Amenity Trees and the WorkCover Code of Practice for the Amenity Tree Industry, and approved work must be done by a qualified arborist trained to Australian Standards.
Dead or dangerous trees
Dead trees and dead branches can be removed without approval. A tree posing an imminent danger to property or life can be removed or pruned without approval, but you must give Council documentary evidence, from an arborist with at least an AQF Level 5 qualification, showing the work was needed to remove an immediate hazard. For trees that are not an emergency, Council prioritises permit applications accompanied by a qualified arborist's report showing elevated risk.
Arborist reports
Council may ask for an Arboricultural Assessment. It is only accepted if prepared by an arborist with a minimum AQF Level 5 qualification, and the company preparing it must not be financially affiliated with a tree removal or pruning company. Council says its staff do not do a comprehensive assessment of private trees and cannot advise on their health or structural condition. An AQF Level 5 arborist's evidence is required for dangerous-tree exemptions.
Replacement planting
Approval to remove a tree may include a condition to plant a replacement, which can specify size and species. Removing a Group A or Group B exempt species also requires a replacement tree in a minimum 100-litre pot, able to reach similar mature dimensions to the tree removed. Where a DA approves removal, replacement planting forms part of the consent conditions.
Bushfire and the 10/50 rule
No. Council states there is no bushfire prone land in the Woollahra LGA, so the 10/50 code cannot be used to remove trees here. You can confirm your address with the NSW RFS online tool.
Heritage properties
Woollahra's heritage rules are broad: every tree on a heritage item, on land containing a heritage item, or on land in a heritage conservation area is a prescribed tree under the DCP. Minor pruning of these trees (general crown maintenance to AS 4373) goes through a Tree Works permit. Removal in a heritage conservation area can be approved by permit if Council is satisfied it won't harm the area's heritage significance; otherwise, and for removing a Significant Register tree or heritage-listed tree, a Development Application is required and a heritage impact assessment may be needed. The exempt species list does not apply to Significant Register trees or heritage items.
Your neighbour's tree
You can apply to prune a neighbour's tree that overhangs your boundary with or without the owner's consent; Council will notify the owner. Without consent, Council can only approve pruning of branches within your property, and some overhang pruning can't be approved because it would need work over the fence. You cannot apply to remove a neighbour's tree without their consent, and an approval doesn't let you enter their land. Council does not mediate — try a Community Justice Centre, then the Land and Environment Court under the Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006.
Street and park trees
Council manages all trees in parks, reserves, roads, laneways and Council facility grounds. Under no circumstances will residents be authorised to prune or remove a Council tree. Lodge a request on 02 9391 7000 or at records@woollahra.nsw.gov.au. Council has separate paid View Prune and Solar Prune applications for Council trees.
Penalties
Council investigates reports of unauthorised pruning, removal, vandalism or poisoning under its Enforcement Policy. If unauthorised work is confirmed, Council can issue infringement notices to both the tree owner and the company or person who did the work, and in serious cases pursue criminal offences. No dollar amounts are published on the tree pages reviewed.
What's different about Woollahra
- Woollahra's exempt weed list is split into Group A (remove at any height) and Group B (camphor laurel, hackberry and poplar, only under 10 m), and even exempt removals need 7 days' written notice and a 100-litre replacement tree.
- Every tree on land in a heritage conservation area is a prescribed tree under the DCP. Paddington, Woollahra and much of the LGA have heritage conservation areas.
- Council states there is no bushfire prone land in Woollahra, so the 10/50 rule does not apply.
- Arborist reports are only accepted from AQF Level 5 arborists whose company has no financial link to a tree removal or pruning business.
- Grey-headed flying-foxes (listed Vulnerable) feed in Woollahra's trees; Council won't prune or remove trees just to keep bats away, and disturbing their habitat needs State Government approval.
Trees common in Woollahra
- Coast banksia (Banksia integrifolia)
- Scribbly gum (Eucalyptus haemastoma)
- Water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina)
- Lilly pilly (Acmena smithii)
- Port Jackson mallee (Eucalyptus obtusiflora)
- Black wattle (Callicoma serratifolia)
Suburbs
10 Woollahra suburbs we cover.
Each suburb page has local notes, jobs nearby and a link back here.
Questions
Woollahra tree rules: questions.
Do I need council approval to remove a tree in Woollahra?
In Woollahra a tree is protected ("prescribed") if its branch spread is more than 3 m or it is taller than 5 m, and also if it is on the Significant Tree Register, is a heritage item, or stands on heritage-listed land or in a heritage conservation area. Pruning or removing a prescribed tree needs a Tree Works permit ($114Council fee for one tree in 2026-27), or a Development Application for significant or heritage trees where the work is more than minor. Dead trees, imminently dangerous trees (with an AQF Level 5 arborist's evidence) and a list of weed species are exempt.
Can I prune a tree without a permit in Woollahra?
Without approval you may remove dead branches, remove parasitic plants, and prune branches no larger than 50 mm diameter (at the nearest branch collar or junction) to give up to 2 m clearance from a roof, an external wall or powerlines. Any other pruning of a prescribed tree needs a permit. All work must follow AS 4373 Pruning of Amenity Trees and the WorkCover Code of Practice for the Amenity Tree Industry, and approved work must be done by a qualified arborist trained to Australian Standards.
How much does a tree permit cost in Woollahra?
This is a council fee, paid to Woollahra Municipal Council, not to us. Tree works application (prune or remove private tree) — 1 tree: $114Council fee (Valid to 30 June 2027. $42Council fee per additional tree. Non-refundable processing fee; card payments incur a processing fee.). Other council fees are listed on this page.
How long does Woollahra council take to decide?
About four weeks, including a site inspection and, in most cases, notification of adjoining properties.
Can I remove a dead or dangerous tree in Woollahra?
Dead trees and dead branches can be removed without approval. A tree posing an imminent danger to property or life can be removed or pruned without approval, but you must give Council documentary evidence, from an arborist with at least an AQF Level 5 qualification, showing the work was needed to remove an immediate hazard. For trees that are not an emergency, Council prioritises permit applications accompanied by a qualified arborist's report showing elevated risk.
Can I prune or remove the street tree outside my house?
Council manages all trees in parks, reserves, roads, laneways and Council facility grounds. Under no circumstances will residents be authorised to prune or remove a Council tree. Lodge a request on 02 9391 7000 or at records@woollahra.nsw.gov.au. Council has separate paid View Prune and Solar Prune applications for Council trees.
Sources: what Woollahra council actually says
“with a diameter spread of branches greater than 3m or with a height greater than 5m, irrespective of the spread of branches”
“If a tree is not identified in this chapter as a prescribed tree, approval for the tree works is not required.”
“Pruning to remove branches no larger than 50mm in diameter at the nearest branch collar or junction to provide a maximum of 2m clearance”
“1 tree - $114.00 Per additional tree - $42.00”
Rules come from: Woollahra Development Control Plan 2015, Part E Chapter E3 Tree Management (last amended 14 July 2023), made under State Environmental Planning Policy (Biodiversity and Conservation) 2021 Chapter 2.
- Private trees — Woollahra Municipal Council
- Woollahra DCP 2015 Chapter E3 Tree Management (amended 14 July 2023)
- Tree Works application form 2026-27
- Public/Council owned trees — Woollahra Municipal Council
- Tree management for bushfire protection — Woollahra Municipal Council
- References, application forms and resources — Woollahra Municipal Council
- Trees and bats — Woollahra Municipal Council
- Local native plants for Sydney's eastern suburbs — Woollahra Municipal Council
Checked against Woollahra Municipal Council's own pages and documents on 30 September 2026. Councils change their rules and fees, usually on 1 July, so confirm with Woollahra Municipal Council (02 9391 7000) before any work. This page is a plain-English guide, not legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
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