Removing, clearing, destroying, lopping or pruning trees or vegetation

Visit the Planning Victoria website to find out if your property is in a bushfire prone area and if the Bushfire Management Overlay applies to you.

The removal of a single tree in an Environmental Significance Overlay or Significant Landscape Overlay is eligible for VicSmart. A report prepared by an arborist must be submitted with an application for tree removal under the VicSmart provision.

For the removal of a tree, you can lodge an application without needing to engage a planning consultant or draftsperson. However, you must provide the requirements outlined in Council’s Checklist. This includes obtaining an Arborist’s Report outlining the health and condition of the proposed tree as well as a Site Plan showing the location and species of the tree.

If the vegetation presents an immediate risk of personal injury or damage to property, it may be removed without a permit. Only the part of the vegetation that presents the immediate risk may be removed.  

For example, a limb of a gum tree has half broken and is hanging and requires removal. Only this limb poses an immediate risk and may be removed. After this point, you may choose to have the entire tree assessed by an arborist for health and condition to determine whether it is necessary to remove the whole tree and apply for the appropriate permit.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you can demonstrate with appropriate evidence that the vegetation presented an immediate risk. 

If you are unsure whether a particular tree poses an immediate risk you should contact a suitably qualified arborist to assess the tree for you.

No. Whilst Council permission may be required to remove a tree, the removal itself is a civil matter and Council does not undertake these works.