Tree removal permits in Cardiff
Cardiff sits about 17 kilometres west-southwest of Newcastle, close enough that people assume Newcastle's tree rules apply. They don't: Newcastle's DCP thresholds stop at its boundary. Lake Macquarie City Council says an application may be needed to prune or remove a native tree or an Araucaria pine, and its online assessment tools give the answer for your address.
Council's 2017 guideline says it generally approves where a tree is a significant hazard or is damaging property. Postcode 2285 also covers Glendale and Edgeworth, so give the arborist your street, not just the postcode.
Tree removal in Cardiff: what's local
Winding Creek
The creek runs through Cardiff into Cockle Creek and the lake, and it floods the town centre in big rain, most notably in the 2007 Pasha Bulker east coast low. In that storm more trees fell than expected because the ground was already soaked. A tree near the creek that starts to lean after a wet spell needs looking at.
Register trees on Main Road
Lake Macquarie's 2017 register lists a deodar cedar at 393 Main Road, a Canary Island date palm beside the former stationmaster's house by the station, and Norfolk Island pines outside Cardiff RSL on the corner of Myall and Macquarie roads.
The old railway workshops
The register also lists Canary Island date palms at the former Cardiff Railway Workshops site on Main Road, Glendale. Cardiff grew on coal mining, orchards and the railway, so old plantings often mark old sites.
Ausgrid country
Cardiff is in Ausgrid's Newcastle and Hunter region. A tree on a street line is Ausgrid's job, never a homeowner's or a general arborist's.
Neighbours' trees in Cardiff
| Lake Macquarie City Council | Legal Aid NSW | |
|---|---|---|
| Can I cut the overhang? | Native branches back to the boundary, up to 10% of the canopy; more needs an application | You may be able to cut back to the boundary line, but check with council first |
| Where do the offcuts go? | In your green waste bin, not over the fence | Cuttings belong to the tree's owner, so return them |
| Who settles a dispute? | Not council: it's a civil matter under the Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006 | Talk first, then get legal advice about the Land and Environment Court |
Tree removal in Cardiff: good to know
The two don't quite line up on offcuts, so agree with your neighbour before the work where the branches will go. Council also wants the pruning done to industry standards by a qualified arborist. Our neighbours' trees guide covers the rest.
Storm damage and fallen trees in Cardiff
Treat any wire it touches as live and keep at least 8 metres away. Ring Ausgrid for lines, the NSW SES if the tree has hit the house or blocks the driveway, and 000 if anyone is hurt. Photograph everything from a safe spot before it's moved.
Hiring an arborist in Cardiff
If a big tree stands near Winding Creek or over the house, have an arborist look at it before the next storm season, not after the next flood. For the neighbour's overhang, stay inside council's 10% and settle the offcuts question over the fence first. It keeps a small job from becoming a dispute.