Discover what trees are protected and what to do if you need a tree removed.

We need your help protecting trees in the City of Mitcham

When building or developing a property, it’s important to protect ‘regulated’ and ‘significant’ trees.

Trees are incredibly important for many environmental, social and economic reasons. They contribute to the landscape character of an area, preserve biodiversity, provide shade, shelter, food and a habitat for fauna, and can even increase the value of a property.

What is a regulated tree?

• A tree with a trunk circumference of 2m (approximately 600mm in diameter) or more (measured at a height of 1m above natural ground level)
• If the tree has multiple trunks, it means a tree with a total size of all trunks being 2m or more in combined circumference and an average circumference of 625mm or more (measured at a height of 1m above natural ground level).

What is a significant tree?

• A tree that has a trunk circumference of 3m or more (measured at a height of 1m above natural ground level)
• If the tree has multiple trunks, it means a tree with a total size of all trunks being 3m or more in combined circumference or more and an average circumference of 625mm or more (measured at a height of 1m above natural ground level).

This applies to trees on both private and council land.

Make a development enquiry

Rules for trees on private property and Council land

You’re not allowed to do any of the following to a regulated or significant tree without asking us for permission first:

• Remove
• Kill or destroy
• Remove a branch or limb
• Ringbark or top
• Damage

You’re allowed to:

• Prune the tree for maintenance reasons, as long as it doesn’t exceed 30%, affect the health or appearance of the tree and only where the pruning is required for removing:
  • Dead or diseased wood
  • Branches that pose a material risk to a building
  • Branches which are located in an area regularly used by people, and the branches pose a material risk to those people.

If you need to prune branches of a significant or regulated tree that doesn't fit the categories mentioned above, you must submit a development application via PlanSA for the proposed pruning. Our team will then assess your application. We recommend engaging a qualified arborist for any tree pruning.

See the Australian Standard 4373-1996 Pruning of Amenity Trees for more information

Some trees are exempt from these rules

Removal of trees from Council land requires Council approval.  Please note that other legislation such as the Native Vegetation Act and policies including the Council's Tree Policy may still apply even if an exemption if granted under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016.

Please note that certain trees may be required to remain on site as per specific conditions outlined in a development approval. This could involve land management agreements on properties, conditions imposed during land divisions (such as  Craigburn Farm), and other development approvals.

How to apply to remove a tree

You’ll need to include this information in your application via PlanSA:

1. A site plan (scale not less than 1:200) that shows the location of the tree in relation to buildings, structures and boundaries
2. Photograph of the tree
3. An explanation of why you want to alter or remove the tree.

After we assess your application, we may ask a specialist (such as an arborist, botanist, horticulturist, civil engineer or structural engineer) to help us make a decision.

Is the tree you want to remove on neighbouring land?

If a regulated, including significant tree on neighbouring land is encroaching on your land and cutting back the tree would damage it (including root damage), you’ll need our approval to do any work on your side of the common property boundary.

You may also apply to have a neighbour’s regulated, including significant tree removed, but it’s your responsibility to show why the regulated tree needs removal or pruning. If the regulated tree is causing or threatening to cause damage to a substantial building or structure of value on your property, you must include a report from a suitably qualified engineer with your application.

Don't forget you will need to discuss this with your neighbour prior to any works being undertaken.

Is the tree you want to remove on council land?

All Council trees (regardless of size) can’t be pruned or removed.

You’ll need to request tree removal or maintenance via our online form. If you have any questions, give our team a call on 1300 133 466.

What happens when we approve the removal of a regulated or significant tree

When a regulated or significant tree is removed, new trees must be planted in its place:

• For each regulated tree, two trees are planted
• For each significant tree, three trees are planted

The replacement trees can’t be species of exempt trees or be planted within 10m of an existing dwelling or in-ground swimming pool. If it’s not possible to plant new trees, Council may allow payment into the Urban Tree Fund in lieu of planting replacement trees.

For more information download a copy of Trees and the Law.