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Tree guides for homeowners

Start with the problem in front of you.

These guides answer the tree questions that come up most, from a tree down after a storm to a neighbour's branches over the fence, with each state's rules where they differ.

A worker raking up leaves and sawdust on a lawn beside a fresh stump and a neat stack of cut logs
Looking straight up into the twisting crowns of old trees against a blue sky

If it's an emergency

Call 000 if anyone is hurt or in danger. For storm damage to your home, call the SES. A tree touching a power line is the electricity network's job, not an arborist's: trees and power lines shows which network to call.

Where should I start?

A tree came down, or a branch is hanging. Start with after a storm: who to call, photos, insurance and permits for damaged trees.

It's your neighbour's tree, or the council's. Your neighbour's tree covers branches, roots and disputes state by state. For a tree on the footpath or nature strip, see council street trees.

You want a tree out and wonder about permits. Start with the permit page for your state, then significant and protected trees. Near bushland, read the NSW 10/50 rule or bushfire clearing in each state.

The tree looks unwell. Is my tree dead?, pests and diseases and roots near the house cover the warning signs and when to get it looked at.

You're about to hire someone. How to choose an arborist, checking an arborist and reading a tree quote help you compare. Lopping vs pruning explains why topping does a tree harm.

You're building or renovating. Tree protection zones explains the room a tree needs while work goes on around it.

How these guides work

Every rule, number and date here comes from a source listed at the foot of the page. Rules differ by state, and councils differ even when they're next door to each other, so treat a guide as your starting point and check with your council before anything is cut.

Rules and neighbours

The NSW 10/50 vegetation clearing ruleTrees within 10 m, shrubs within 50 m, the RFS tool on the day, and what 10/50 never covers.Significant, protected and regulated treesRegisters, heritage listings, overlays and size tests, and how to check whether your tree is protected.Your neighbour's tree: branches, roots and disputesOverhanging branches, roots, leaves and disputes: what each state allows, and where disputes go.Council street trees and nature strip treesStreet and nature strip trees: who owns them, who to call, and what councils will and won't do.Trees near power linesStreet lines, the line to your house and private poles: who clears what, and which network to call.Clearing trees for bushfire safetyNSW 10/50, Victoria's 10/30 and fence line rules, WA firebreak notices, and where the rules are thinner.

After a storm

A tree came down in a storm000 and the SES first, then photos, your insurer, the council and the arborist, in that order.

Tree health

Is my tree dead, dying or just stressed?The signs of a dead or dying tree, a safe check from the ground, and why dead trees can still need approval.Tree pests and diseases: borers, termites and diebackBorers, termites, dieback and rust: what each looks like, and when it needs an arborist's look.Tree roots near your house, pipes and pathsWhat roots can do to paths and foundations, why cutting big roots is risky, barriers and a neighbour's roots.

Hiring an arborist

How to remove a tree stumpGrinding, digging a small stump out by hand or leaving it to rot, with buried services and regrowth in mind.How to choose an arborist (and what cheap can cost you)What makes tree quotes differ, the red flags, and the questions to ask before you book an arborist.Checking an arborist: insurance, qualifications and questionsNo licence exists, so here's how to check insurance, qualification codes and memberships yourself.Tree lopping, topping and pruningWhy lopped and topped trees regrow weakly, what the pruning Standard says, and how to ask for the result you want.Reading a tree quote: what should be in itWhat a written tree quote should cover, line by line, and the red flags that say keep looking.Cutting down a tree yourself? Read this firstWhy felling is arborist work, the permits that often apply, and the pruning you can safely do yourself.

Building near trees

Tree protection zones when you build or renovateWhat a TPZ is, what changed in AS 4970:2025, and what councils ask for when you build near trees.

More guides

Trees we get asked aboutFigs, gums, olives, bamboo and more: roots, size, limb drop and protection, tree by tree.

More on tree guides for homeowners

Do I need a permit to remove a tree?Do you need a permit to remove a tree? Why the rules differ by state and council, and how to check yours.Tree services, from removal to stump grindingEvery tree job we match, and how to pick yours: removal, pruning, stumps, storms, reports and more.

Where this information comes from

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