Tree removal in Currumbin: what's local
Small and steep
Currumbin covers just 2.0 square kilometres, from Currumbin Creek to Wyberba Street and from the Pacific Motorway to the Coral Sea. Its steep hillsides made building hard, which is partly why it kept more natural vegetation than other parts of the coast.
Bush over the hill
The Gold Coast Highway crosses bushland over the headland through Currumbin Hill Conservation Park, then passes Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, which is on the Queensland Heritage Register.
Older gardens
The area was forested before farming and clearing began in the late 19th century, and many houses date from 1920s subdivisions. Gardens that old can hold trees much bigger than the house was planned around.
The creek and the valley
Council dredges the creek mouth each year. Upstream in Currumbin Valley, the City's Currumbin Creek Care Group has restored 1.5 kilometres of creek line at Currumbin Creek Reach since 2008.
Koalas on the move
In April 2022 the City bought 37.5 hectares at Tallebudgera to keep koalas moving from Elanora and Tallebudgera through to the Currumbin valleys. Currumbin Valley and Currumbin Waters are among its suburbs with the most recorded dog encounters with koalas.
Bushfire clearing in Currumbin
City Plan's landslide hazard map rates land in five levels, from very low to very high, and its landslide overlay code regulates development on steep and unstable slopes. The bushfire hazard overlay sits on the same interactive mapping, under Overlays > Bushfire hazard, and the City's private tree rules refer to its Bushfire Hazard Map. Neither map is a tree permit, but both tell an arborist something about your block before they quote.
The tree itself is assessable if it's over 4 metres tall or more than 40 centimetres around the trunk at 1.3 metres, or if it's mapped vegetation. Currumbin (postcode 4223) is in the City's Division 14, and the Gold Coast permit page explains the application.
Signs a tree needs an arborist in Currumbin
- Rotted or dead branches piling up on the ground under it
- The root ball lifting, or soil moving at the base on a windy day (only look when it's safe)
- Sudden leaf loss, or new leaves failing to appear in season
- Shoots sprouting straight from the trunk or big limbs
- A new lean, or cracks opening in the soil on the downhill side
Storm damage and fallen trees in Currumbin
Stay out of the fall line of any leaning or split tree. If a life is at risk, call 000. If a tree has damaged the home or blocked the way in, ask the SES by phone or through its app. Wires down count as live: report them to Energex.
Hiring an arborist in Currumbin
Look at the maps before the tree. If the block is mapped moderate or higher for landslide, tell the arborist up front and ask whether the roots should stay in the bank after the tree is gone. Then measure the girth against City Plan's 40 centimetre test and ring the City if it's anywhere close.