Tree removal laws in Queensland
In Queensland, tree removal on residential land is mainly controlled by your council's local laws and any Vegetation Protection Order (for example Brisbane City Council's Natural Assets Local Law). Rural and native vegetation clearing is also regulated by the State. See your council's page for its specific local-law rules.
Legal basis: Planning Act 2016 + council local laws and Vegetation Protection Orders; Vegetation Management Act 1999 (mainly rural/native vegetation).
Common exemptions
- Dead or dangerous trees (council-dependent).
- Trees not covered by a Vegetation Protection Order or local law.
Rules that can override exemptions
- Council Vegetation Protection Orders / significant tree registers.
- State Vegetation Management Act (native vegetation).
- Federal EPBC Act.
Queensland councils (78)
Pick your council for its specific tree-removal rules.
- Aurukun
- Balonne
- Banana
- Barcaldine
- Barcoo
- Blackall Tambo
- Boulia
- Brisbane
- Bulloo
- Bundaberg
- Burdekin
- Burke
- Cairns
- Carpentaria
- Cassowary Coast
- Central Highlands
- Charters Towers
- Cherbourg
- Cloncurry
- Cook
- Croydon
- Diamantina
- Doomadgee
- Douglas
- Etheridge
- Flinders
- Fraser Coast
- Gladstone
- Gold Coast
- Goondiwindi
- Gympie
- Hinchinbrook
- Hope Vale
- Ipswich
- Isaac
- Kowanyama
- Livingstone
- Lockhart River
- Lockyer Valley
- Logan
- Longreach
- Mackay
- Mapoon
- Maranoa
- Mareeba
- McKinlay
- Moreton Bay
- Mornington
- Mount Isa
- Murweh
- Napranum
- Noosa
- North Burnett
- Northern Peninsula Area
- Palm Island
- Paroo
- Pormpuraaw
- Quilpie
- Redland
- Richmond
- Rockhampton
- Scenic Rim
- Somerset
- South Burnett
- Southern Downs
- Sunshine Coast
- Tablelands
- Toowoomba
- Torres
- Torres Strait Island
- Townsville
- Weipa
- Western Downs
- Whitsunday
- Winton
- Woorabinda
- Wujal Wujal
- Yarrabah