Council rules and permits
- How to get council approval to remove a tree — the Wollongong permit process step by step, and when an arborist report is needed.
- Can I cut down trees on my property in NSW? — owning a tree and being allowed to remove it are two different things.
- Can you remove palm trees without council approval? — exempt species, cocos palms and where the exemptions stop.
- Can you trim council trees? — the verge tree is not yours, and what to do instead.
Neighbours and the law
- Whose responsibility is it to cut overhanging branches in NSW? — the common law right of abatement and the Trees Act.
- Neighbours' trees overhanging my property — how to actually resolve it, and what the Land and Environment Court can order.
- Cutting overhanging trees from neighbours — where the boundary really is and how to cut without causing a bigger problem.
- Can I throw my neighbour's branches back? — the short answer and the reason it matters.
- Council tree overhanging my property — the process when the tree belongs to the council.
- Legal height of hedges between properties in NSW — there is no maximum height, and what the law actually tests.
- Who is responsible for tree root damage in NSW? — nuisance, negligence, insurance and the Act.
Roots
- How to get rid of tree roots — surface roots in lawns, paths and garden beds.
- How to remove tree roots — roots in drains, under slabs and against footings.
Doing the work
- Tree removal: how the process runs — from first call to final clean-up, and how to read a quote.
- How to cut down trees — what a property owner can safely and legally do, and what they cannot.
- How to chop a tree down — the felling cut explained, and why it is rarely used here.
- How to approach tree cutting through the year — the Illawarra seasonal calendar.
Local
- Wollongong Botanic Garden — the best place in the region to learn what your own trees are.
Then what
When you have worked out what you are dealing with, the cost guide covers price, the service areas page covers which council governs your block, and the services page covers what actually gets arranged. Or just ring (02) 4210 5885.
Frequently asked questions
Which guide should I read first?
If you are about to spend money, read the cost guide so you know what the number should look like. If the tree is large, old or native, read the council approval guide first instead, because whether it is protected decides what is even possible. If the problem involves a neighbour, start with whose responsibility overhanging branches are, because the common assumptions about that are mostly wrong.
Is the legal information on these pages reliable?
It is general explanation of New South Wales law, kept deliberately plain, and it is not advice about your matter. A lot of material online about NSW tree disputes actually quotes Queensland legislation, which is why these pages name the Act. If your dispute is heading anywhere serious, get proper legal advice rather than relying on a web page.