Do You Need Council Approval to Remove a Dead Tree in the Sutherland Shire?

Bob and Ben - The Tree Men

It is a common assumption that a dead or dying tree can just be taken down without any paperwork. In the Sutherland Shire, that is not automatically the case.

Unless a tree falls under a Council exempt species list, removing it, even one that is dead or clearly in poor health, generally still requires Council approval. It is an easy detail to overlook, since a dead tree feels like an obvious removal, but the rules are based on the tree itself rather than its condition alone. As a local tree removal Sutherland Shire team, this is one of the most common questions our customers ask before any work even starts.

There are exemptions. Trees that pose an immediate risk to life or property can sometimes be removed without waiting on approval, but specific requirements still apply, and getting that wrong can leave a property owner facing a fine rather than a fixed problem.

If you are not sure whether your tree needs approval, it is always worth checking before any work begins. For more detail on what happens if a tree comes down without the right approval, our blog on tree removal penalties in NSW breaks down the rules further.

Got a dead or dying tree sitting on your Yowie Bay property and no idea whether Council needs to sign off first? You're not alone, and it's a smarter question to ask before the chainsaw comes out rather than after.

At Bob & Ben The Tree Men, we deal with this exact grey area across the Shire every week, and we'd rather walk you through what's actually required than have you find out the hard way. Reach out to us and we'll help you sort the paperwork before we even talk about the tree itself.

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Over 25 years ago, Bob and Ben planted the seeds of what would become one of the most popular and trusted tree service businesses in the Sutherland Shire.

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