Tell us the job

Darwin, Northern Territory

Land and block clearing in Darwin

Land clearing in Darwin, matched to a local arborist.

Clearing around Darwin ranges from a suburban yard after a cyclone to scrub on a rural block, and in Litchfield, clearing more than 1 hectare of native vegetation needs a development permit.

  • We match you with the local arborist who does your kind of job.
  • Tell us the job once, and the arborist who takes it calls you.
  • Storm damage and fallen trees flagged urgent.

Tree job in Darwin?

Only one local arborist gets your number.

A worker in a helmet, earmuffs and chainsaw chaps cutting a sapling on an overgrown bush block, cut scrub piled behind

Matched by the job, not just the postcode

A big gum over a roof, a stump and a council report are different jobs, so the job comes first.

Only one local arborist gets your number.

Your contact details go to one arborist for your job, so you deal with one person.

Storm jobs flagged urgent

Pick storm damage and the arborist sees it marked urgent. If anyone is in danger, call 000 first.

Council rules before the cut

Many councils protect bigger trees. The permit guides cover every state, so you can check first.

What happens next

A local arborist calls you.

Tell us the job

  1. Tell us the job

    What the tree needs and your postcode. A few taps.

  2. We pass it on

    To a local arborist near your postcode.

  3. They call you

    They talk it through, usually see the tree, and quote in writing. You decide.

Storm damage and fallen trees in Darwin

Call 000 if anyone is in danger. Report damaged power infrastructure to the Power Water Emergency Hotline, and keep well away from anything tangled with lines. City of Darwin's advice after Fina was to clear debris only if it's safe and never to move large branches or trees yourself. Leave chainsaw work, and timber under tension, to people trained for it.

Land clearing in Darwin: what's local

The 1 hectare line in Litchfield

Litchfield Council says clearing more than 1 hectare of native vegetation, including selective clearing, needs a development permit from the Development Consent Authority. That applies in zones H, A, RR, RL, R, CP, CN, RD, WM and on unzoned land.

The guidelines behind it

Council says the NT Government's Land Clearing Guidelines (2010) are recognised under the Planning Act and referenced in the NT Planning Scheme. It recommends talking to the NT Government's planning department before clearing more than 1 hectare.

Erosion is on you

Litchfield Council says land clearing must not cause soil erosion or water quality problems on adjoining or downstream blocks, whatever the size of the job.

Firebreaks, all year

Council says firebreaks should be at least 4m wide, graded or slashed to no more than 50mm, with the slashed material removed, and maintained all year round. It cites the NT Fire and Emergency Act and the Bushfires Management Act, and penalties apply.

Land clearing permits in Darwin

Burning needs a permit first. Litchfield Council says permits to burn are required year round in the rural area, from the NT Fire and Rescue Service, and for Darwin and rural landholders they're generally available from December to April, stopping once the dry season starts.

Most of the time, mulching or hauling is simpler. Litchfield Council's transfer stations at Humpty Doo, Howard Springs and Berry Springs take green waste. In the City of Darwin, residents take green waste to Shoal Bay Mulch, which accepts stumps up to 1.5m long and 20cm across.

On a bigger job, ask for the timber to be chipped on site and spread where it's needed, which also covers bare soil against erosion.

Clearing a suburban block in Darwin

In town, clearing usually means a yard full of storm-damaged trees, or a block being cleared for building. After Cyclone Fina, City of Darwin said residents are responsible for managing damage within their own property, and asked people not to move green waste from their yard to the verge.

Verge trees are council's, so they stay out of the job. For trees on the block itself, ask council before anything comes down; our Northern Territory permit page covers the territory's rules.

Questions to ask about land clearing in Darwin

  • Exactly what's being cleared, and what's being kept and protected
  • Whether a development permit is needed, and who's arranging it
  • How erosion and run-off onto neighbouring blocks will be controlled
  • Whether the firebreak is part of the job, at council's width
  • Where the material goes: chipped on site, hauled away, or burnt under a permit
  • Who lodges the Before You Dig Australia enquiry before any stump or root work
  • Public liability insurance details

Land clearing in Darwin: what you can do yourself

You can

  • Walk the block and mark trees and areas you want kept
  • Talk to the NT Government's planning department before clearing more than 1 hectare
  • Rake and bag small debris, and keep the firebreak slashed
  • Get a burning permit before lighting anything

Leave to an arborist

  • Felling, chainsaw work and anything with a machine
  • Storm-damaged trees, hanging limbs and timber under tension
  • Grinding stumps and roots once services are checked
  • Clearing near power lines, which starts with Power and Water

Hiring an arborist for land clearing in Darwin

Measure what you actually want cleared before anyone quotes. If it's more than 1 hectare of native vegetation in Litchfield, talk to the NT Government's planning department first. Whatever the size, plan for erosion and the firebreak, and decide early whether the material is mulched, hauled or burnt under a permit.

Land and block clearing in Darwin: common questions

Do I need a permit to clear my rural block near Darwin?

In Litchfield, clearing more than 1 hectare of native vegetation, including selective clearing, needs a development permit from the Development Consent Authority in the listed zones. Talk to the NT Government's planning department before you start, and check with council whatever the size of the job.

How wide should a firebreak be in Litchfield?

Litchfield Council says at least 4m wide, graded or slashed to no more than 50mm high, with the slashed material removed. It should be maintained all year round, and penalties apply.

Can I burn cleared vegetation on a rural block?

Only with a permit. Litchfield Council says permits to burn are required year round in the rural area, from the NT Fire and Rescue Service, and are generally available from December to April.

Need a block cleared in Darwin?

Pick the job and give your postcode, and a local arborist calls you.

Tree job in Darwin?

Only one local arborist gets your number.

Other tree services in Darwin

Tree permits in the Northern Territory

More on land and block clearing in Darwin

Sources

Tree rules change, so check with your council before anything is cut. How we write and check these pages.