Tree removal permits in Kogarah
| Georges River Council | Bayside Council | |
|---|---|---|
| What counts | 3 metres tall, 100mm across at ground level, or a 3 metre branch spread | Over 3m tall, or wider than 300mm at 1.4m above the ground |
| Dead or dying trees | Listed among works that need council approval | An AQF Level 5 arborist's report goes with the application |
| How to apply | Form to the Hurstville or Kogarah Service Centre, by post or by email | Online through ePathway, or the form at a Customer Service Centre |
| Replanting | May be 2:1, at least 45L, within six weeks | Replacement trees, with council setting the number and pot size |
| Reviews | Within 6 months of the decision, with new information | Ask the Manager of Parks and Open Space, with new evidence |
Tree removal in Kogarah: what's local
Registered trees in the parks
Georges River's Significant Tree Register, adopted in December 2023, lists 257 trees at 16 sites. Two sites are in Kogarah: a Small-leaved Fig in Hogben Park, and a row of 25 Brush Box with White Cedars in Kogarah Park. A significant tree on private land shows up on the lot's planning certificate.
Canopy is thin on both sides
NSW Planning put Georges River's canopy at 20.8% in 2024-25 and Bayside's at 12.4%, with Bayside's private properties at just 9%. Bayside's DCP names its low share of healthy canopy as something the tree rules are there to fix.
A motorway underneath
M6 Stage 1 is a four kilometre tunnel from President Avenue at Kogarah to the M8 at Arncliffe. Bayside says the works should offset the trees lost and finish with a net increase in canopy.
One network for both councils
Georges River and Bayside are both on Ausgrid's network, so a tree on a street wire is Ausgrid's to fix whichever side of the line you live on.
Why the council matters so much here
The same backyard tree can be judged differently either side of the tracks. A small tree with a wide spread can catch Georges River's 3 metre branch spread test, while Bayside measures trunk width higher up, at 1.4m. Council officers do the assessing, so ask before deciding on your own.
Timing differs too. Georges River aims to finish an assessment within eighteen weeks, longer if access or information is a problem, so lodge early if the tree is tied to a renovation.
Hiring an arborist in Kogarah
We'd pull out a rates notice to see which council it names, then hold the tree up against that council's test, not the neighbour's. We'd lodge before booking anyone, and on the Georges River side we'd build the eighteen-week aim into any building timeline.