Trees on Council Land

1. Overview

You can report urgent or emergency issues about fallen trees or branches by calling us on 1300 735 025

For non-urgent public tree related issues please read through the following sections.

2. Urban street trees

QPRC’s urban street trees are routinely inspected and maintained to ensure ease of movement around our tree assets. Trees are pruned to improve vehicle and pedestrian line of sight, pedestrian and vehicular egress, street sign visibility and street light illumination. Refer to the Street Verge Maintenance Policy(PDF, 253KB) for more information.

Urban street trees are valuable council and community assets and are not ordinarily pruned or removed for:

  • Causing minor shading
  • Shedding of leaves, fruit, bark or flowers as this is considered a natural process
  • Unsubstantiated fears about large trees or bushfire risk
  • Improvement of a view or solar panel efficacy
  • Causing a blockage to pipes
  • Causing minor damage to property e.g. driveways/fences/pathways

To report an issue with a council street tree, report it online here or call Council’s Customer Service team on 1300 735 025.

Council’s Tree Management Officer will attend the site, assess the tree and determine whether any action is required.

Rural roadside trees

Trees and vegetation planted or growing in rural road reserves or verges are managed by QPRC’s Roads team.

Report rural roadside tree issues including trees that have fallen onto or across the road online here or to our Customer Service team by calling 1300 735 025

3. Trees in parks, playgrounds, reserves and laneways

Our open area and parkland trees are periodically inspected and maintained on an as required basis, depending on the type of use.

Open area and parkland trees are valuable council and community assets and will not ordinarily be pruned or removed for:

  • Causing minor shading
  • Shedding of leaves, fruit, bark or flowers as this is considered a natural process
  • Unsubstantiated fears about large trees
  • Improvement of a view or solar panel efficacy
  • Contributing to a blockage of pipes
  • Causing minor damage to property e.g. driveways/fences/pathways

To report an issue with a council parkland tree, report it online here or call Council’s Customer Service team on 1300 735 025

Council’s Tree Management Officer will attend the site, assess the tree and determine whether any action is required. 

4. Trees impacting overhead powerlines

Please direct all tree related powerline enquiries to Essential Energy via their website https://www.essentialenergy.com.au/

If your enquiry relates to wires down, sparks or fire, or other life threatening matters, then please call Essential Energy on 13 20 80. 

5. Alleged damage to private property from a Council tree

Trees in urban spaces are intermingled with built structures and services, occasionally resulting in conflict between the built and living environments. Council relies on a civic-reporting system for notification of such instances to enable us to responsibly intervene where appropriate to do so. Ordinarily, this is on a reactive basis only meaning Council will not intervene until obvious damage occurs. Council does not have the resources to pre-empt every potential conflict between our trees and the surrounding infrastructure.

If a tree on public land has caused damage to your private property, please report this to Council to give us an opportunity to abate the issue. Damage reports can be made by phoning our Customer Service Team on 1300 735 025 or by email to council@qprc.nsw.gov.au

If you believe you are entitled to compensation, please visit the making a claim against Council page.

Council’s ownership of the tree does not create an automatic liability in the event of a tree causing damage. There must be some demonstrated act or omission of negligence by Council. We will investigate the claim and any evidence presented, then make a determination whether to accept or deny the claim.  If Council believes it has not been negligent, it reserves its right to deny the claim in line with the provisions of the NSW Civil Liability Act 2002.