Protected Trees or Vegetation

Hawkesbury Development Control Plan 2002 prescribes the types of trees and other vegetation that require approval prior to being cleared.

There are five categories of protected trees or vegetation that need consent:

1. Protected trees are those with a height greater than 4m or branch spread greater than 3m or trunk circumference 500mm or more.

However, you do not need approval if your property is able to satisfy all of the following:

• zoned R1 General Residential, R2 Low Density Residential or R3 Medium Density Residential
• has an area less than 1,000m2
• is NOT in Kurrajong or Kurrajong Heights
• is NOT heritage listed
• is NOT located on land shown on the Terrestrial Biodiversity Map
• is NOT shown on the Environmental Constraints Area Map.
• It is recommended that you contact Council’s Duty Officer to confirm whether any of the above restrictions apply to your property. Enquire at Council to find out your zoning and property size.

2. Native trees or vegetation 

These are specifically protected in certain zones (shown below) and also in other zones if shown on the Terrestrial Biodiversity Map or the Environmental Constraints Area Map.

Native trees or vegetation of any size located on land in the following zones:

• RU1 Primary Production
• RU2 Rural Landscape
• RU4 Primary Production Small Lots
• RU5 Rural Village
• R5 Large Lot Residential
• SP1 Special Activities
• SP2 Infrastructure
• RE1 Public Recreation
• RE2 Private Recreation
• E2 Environmental Conservation
• E3 Environmental Management
• E4 Environmental Living

3. Heritage items or heritage conservation areas.

Any trees or vegetation that are located on land that contains a heritage item or is situated within a heritage conservation area, is or forms part of an Aboriginal object or within an Aboriginal place of significance.

4. Kurrajong and Kurrajong Heights

Trees located in Kurrajong and Kurrajong Heights that have the following dimensions:

• height greater than four metres
• branch spread greater than three metres
• trunk circumference greater than 500mm (measured at one metre above ground level)

5. Trees within 40 metres of a watercourse

Any trees situated within the riparian zone (within 40 metres) adjoining a watercourse*.


*A watercourse means any river, creek, stream or chain of ponds, whether artificially modified or not, in which water usually flows, either continuously or intermittently, in a defined bed or channel, but does not include an artificial waterbody.