Common trees in Whittlesea
Whittlesea township is 36 km north-east of the city on the Plenty River, in the foothills of the Plenty Ranges. It's the rural end of the City of Whittlesea: council runs its Whittlesea Services Hub at 63 Church St, and its 2021 Township Plan says the town will keep its rural country feel.
Council's line clearance plan calls mature River Red Gums in open grassland the most important visual and environmental feature of the City, and its planning scheme gives them extra protection. Whittlesea says removing native trees, shrubs, herbs or grasses usually needs a planning permit, and that removing native vegetation in breach of the scheme can lead to prosecution.
Statewide, clause 52.17 covers dead native vegetation too, and a standing dead tree 40 centimetres or more across isn't covered by its dead vegetation exemption. The Victorian permit page explains the clause.
Bushfire clearing in Whittlesea
Check the mapping
Use VicPlan to see whether your land is in a designated bushfire prone area or the Bushfire Management Overlay. Victoria's 10/30 rule only applies on mapped land, around homes that meet its date conditions.
Read your title
Covenants and legal agreements protecting native vegetation still apply, even where the bushfire rules would otherwise allow clearing.
Do the ground work
Whittlesea wants rural grass, weeds, scrub and undergrowth under 10cm from November to March, and a 35m fire break in grassland areas. That's mowing and slashing, not tree removal.
Ask before any tree comes out
A fire prevention notice doesn't authorise removing trees unless it says so. Ring council's native vegetation line before cutting anything native.
Then book the arborist
Dead branches over the house or shed are common jobs before summer. Get the quote to say what's being cut and whether council has signed off.
Tree removal in Whittlesea: what's local
Rural on every side
About 80% of the city's north is rural, with townships scattered through it, and Kinglake National Park and hilly hinterland rise to the north and east.
Fire history
The township was a focal point for firefighting and relief during the 2009 bushfires. Council inspects every property at least twice in a declared fire danger period, which can run from October to May.
Local stone and heritage
The 1878 primary school, built from local stone, is on the Australian and Victorian heritage registers.
Power
AusNet runs the network across Melbourne's north and east. Check your bill, and keep well away from any tree on a line.
Hiring an arborist in Whittlesea
Before summer, we'd have an arborist walk the block with you in winter or early spring, while there's time to get council answers. Point out every big gum near the house and ask which are River Red Gums. For care of red gums on rural land, ask Whittlesea's Rural and Environmental Planning team.