Tree removal permits in Burnside
The City of Burnside says unapproved work on a regulated or significant tree can bring a fine of up to $120,000. Owners aren't the only ones who answer for it. Burnside reports a tree business owner convicted in October 2023 and fined $7,000 plus costs for felling a regulated tree.
So a good arborist here will raise approval before they quote the cut. If one doesn't, that's a reason to keep looking. Our SA permits page sets out what the rules cover.
The council's own advice is to get a minimum Level 5 (Diploma) qualified arborist to work out a tree's legal status. That's the consulting level: someone trained to assess trees and write reports, rather than someone who only does the cutting.
Tree removal in Burnside: what's local
Second Creek
Burnside takes its name from Second Creek, the 'burn' the Anderson family farmed beside from 1839. First Creek and Second Creek both cross the council's gently sloping plain.
Street trees by the thousand
The council manages over 40,000 trees in its streets and major parks, and gained a Tree Cities of the World designation in February 2020. Street trees are protected under the Local Government Act 1999, with a $5,000 fine for unapproved work on one.
Gums the council plants
River red gum, SA blue gum, grey box, lemon-scented gum, angophora and willow myrtle are all on Burnside's planting list. They're also the kinds of tree that get no 3 metre allowance near a house under SA's rules.
Up into the hills
The council area reaches east to Cleland National Park. At Waterfall Gully, stringybark forest covers the higher slopes, and the park closes on Catastrophic Fire Danger days.
Questions to ask an arborist in Burnside
- Have you measured the trunk, and is this tree regulated or significant?
- Will a Level 5 arborist assess it, or write a report, if the council wants one?
- Is the work you're quoting within what the rules allow without approval, and how do you know?
- If it's maintenance pruning, could it suit the council's Tree Assistance Scheme?
- Who is keeping the line to my house clear of my trees?
Hiring an arborist in Burnside
We'd ring the council's Customer Experience Team for preliminary advice before collecting quotes. For a healthy regulated tree that needs work rather than removal, we'd ask about the Regulated and Significant Tree Assistance Scheme, which has supported maintenance since 2012/13 and wants an arborist's assessment and a management plan first. And we'd only book someone who talks about approval before the work, not after. Our guide to checking an arborist helps.
Storm damage and fallen trees in Burnside
Keep clear of any line that's down: SA Power Networks says 10 metres, and takes fault reports. If someone's in danger, call 000; for storm damage to the house, the SA SES. Burnside also reminds owners that keeping planted trees clear of the line to their own property is the owner's job, while SA Power Networks deals with naturally occurring vegetation.