Tree removal permits in Kiama
Kiama's rules sit in its Development Control Plan 2020, Chapter 2, Topic 2.4, in force since 4 April 2020. A tree is covered if it meets any one of three tests: 5 metres or taller, a trunk 200mm or more across, measured 1 metre above the ground, or a branch spread of 3 metres or more. The spread test is the one people miss, because it catches broad, low trees that a height check wouldn't.
Cutting down, ringbarking, poisoning or lopping a covered tree without a permit is a breach. Minor breaches bring a penalty infringement notice. Serious ones, such as removing a significant tree or poisoning several, can end up in the Land and Environment Court with fines or restoration orders.
Council also keeps a species list, mostly weeds such as camphor laurel, privet and radiata pine, and even for those it wants to be told first, with photos. The NSW permit framework sits behind all of it.
Tree removal in Kiama: what's local
Figs from the old rainforest
Kiama's DCP calls the area's mature figs a reminder of the sub-tropical rainforest that once dominated here, and counts figs among its trees of special significance. Development that affects one needs a qualified arborist's report. See our fig tree guide.
Norfolk Island pines
They aren't native to the region, but the DCP calls them synonymous with the coastal landscape and part of the municipality's identity. Our pine tree guide covers how big they get.
Cabbage palms in the hinterland
Mature cabbage palms are still dotted through the hinterland as reminders of the rainforest. For one of special significance, the DCP says no excavation within 3.0 metres of the trunk, which matters for driveways, pools and drains.
Minnamurra and the slopes
Budderoo National Park's Minnamurra Rainforest has been conserved for over a century, with coachwood, cabbage palms and some remaining cedar. The escarpment runs through the Kiama council area too, and council weighs whether a removal could unsettle a slope.
Neighbours' trees in Kiama
A Kiama neighbour can apply to prune a tree that hangs over their land. Without the owner's consent, approved pruning stays on the applicant's side of the boundary. If talking fails, the Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006 lets an adjoining owner apply to the Land and Environment Court, after a reasonable attempt to sort it out.
Trees in parks and on nature strips belong to council, and only council officers or contractors may work on them. Report a problem with a customer request to council.
Questions to ask an arborist in Kiama
- Which of the three tests does this tree meet?
- If council wants a risk report, does the person writing it hold an AQF level 5 qualification?
- Will the pruning follow AS 4373?
Storm damage and fallen trees in Kiama
Keep clear and call 000 if anyone is in danger. A tree on the house or across the driveway is a job for the NSW SES. Fallen wires are Endeavour Energy's; stay at least 8 metres back.
Hiring an arborist in Kiama
We'd check all three tests, not just height: a low, wide tree spreading 3 metres is covered too. If it's a fig, a palm or a Norfolk Island pine, we'd ring council before booking any work, because those are the trees the DCP singles out. Then lodge the Tree Management Application and wait for the written decision before anyone starts.