Our Tree Management Guide
Council's Tree Management Guide explains how trees are managed across our city on private and public land. It also includes the rules for pruning or removing trees.
Tree Permits: Easy English Guide
We've also made a guide in Easy English to explain how Tree Permits work. You can download a copy below.
Wollongong Development Control Plan
Chapter E17 of the Wollongong Development Control Plan (WDCP) explains which trees and other plants need to be protected and managed. It also outlines Council's approval process for tree removal and pruning.
Learn more
You may need Council’s permission to prune or remove trees on your property.
You do not need permission to prune or remove trees on your property that are:
- on the exempt trees list
- already approved to be removed or pruned as part of a Development Consent.
You do need permission to prune or remove trees that are any of the following:
- more than 5 metres in height
- has a trunk diameter of 30cm or more, measured at ground level
- has branches that are more than 10cm in diameter (for pruning)
- has large roots that you want to prune
- dead or dying.
Note that different rules may apply for palm trees and hedges.
Please download Managing Trees in Wollongong - A Customer Guide PDF, 1008.02 KB to learn more.
There are two ways to get approval from Council to prune or remove a tree:
Option 1: Apply for a Tree Permit
It can take around 28 working days for your application to be processed.
Note that this option is only suitable for tree work that is not part of a development proposal, including exempt or complying development. Tree Permit assessments do not consider future development plans, their impacts, site constraints or proposed development requirements.
Option 2: Get permission through a Development Application
Use this option to prune or remove a tree as part of work for a proposed development, like a house, extension, granny flat, pool or garage.
More information
If you have questions, call us on (02) 4227 7111.
If the tree you want to prune is on a neighbour’s property, see our Issues with Neighbours’ Trees page.
You can read more about what we consider when assessing a tree application in our Tree Management Policy PDF, 292.93 KB.
Residents in some areas close to the bush can prepare for bush fires by clearing trees from around their home under the NSW Rural Fire Service 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Scheme.
For more information about bush fire hazard management, visit the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) website or contact the NSW RFS Wollongong area office.
Breaching, or causing or permitting a breach of, Council's Tree Management Policy PDF, 292.93 KB is an offence under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. This can apply to trees on private or public land.
Breaches will be handled in line with Council's Compliance and Enforcement Policy PDF, 427.88 KB, and could result in:
- Council sending a warning letter
- An 'on the spot' Penalty Notice
- Legal action in the Local Court or Land and Environment Court. Courts can impose a maximum penalty of $1.1 million.