Council permit for tree removal in Cardinia Shire.
Before the chainsaw, the paperwork. Cardinia Shire’s Tree Protection Local Law covers any tree over 110cm trunk circumference, plus every indigenous remnant on the protected species list at any size. We measure, photograph and lodge the application for you. Permit number on the job ticket before the first cut — always.
What the Cardinia Shire Tree Protection Local Law actually covers.
Cardinia Shire is a fast-growing council with a serious indigenous tree cover — the foothills around Beaconsfield Upper, Emerald, Cockatoo and Gembrook hold some of the last remaining River Red Gum and Manna Gum populations on the western side of the Dandenongs. The Council Local Law exists to stop those remnants disappearing one backyard at a time as the corridor develops.
The trigger is simple but easily missed. Any tree with a trunk circumference of 110cm or more at 1.4m above ground level is in scope — that’s about a 35cm diameter trunk, which is smaller than most homeowners assume. We carry a forestry tape on every quote because the eyeball estimate is almost always under.
The protected indigenous species list.
Five species are protected regardless of size if they are genuinely indigenous remnants (i.e. they pre-date the subdivision and were not planted):
- River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) — the big sprawling gums along Cardinia Creek and Toomuc Creek.
- Yellow Box (Eucalyptus melliodora) — common on the volcanic plain country south of Pakenham.
- Manna Gum (Eucalyptus viminalis) — the smooth-trunked gums dropping ribbons of bark, especially through Beaconsfield Upper and Emerald.
- Messmate Stringybark (Eucalyptus obliqua) — the fibrous-barked stringybarks of the hills district.
- Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) — understorey wattle, often missed because people see “just a wattle” and reach for the chainsaw.
If you have one of these on your block and it pre-dates the title subdivision, assume it is protected and call us before you touch it.
How the permit actually gets filed.
Our standard permit-managed job runs like this. We come out, measure the trunk circumference at 1.4m, identify the species (we ID against the Cardinia Shire indigenous species reference, not just “some kind of gum”), photograph the tree from north / south / east / west, sketch the site with the dwelling and any other significant trees marked, and write the AQF Level 3 arborist justification. Reasons that get approved: structurally unsafe (defect documented, QTRA risk rating), within the building footprint of an approved planning permit, dead crown more than 50%, root encroachment damaging dwelling footings.
Lodgement fee is currently around $108. Processing runs 14–28 days for a clean Local Law application. We chase it through Council’s tree team, respond to any RFI within 48 hours, and deliver you the approved permit document with conditions before we book the cut date. The permit is valid for 12 months from issue — you do not have to remove the tree the day it’s approved.
When you need a planning permit instead (or as well).
If your title is overlaid with an Environmental Significance Overlay (ESO), Vegetation Protection Overlay (VPO), Significant Landscape Overlay (SLO) or Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO), the Local Law permit is not enough — you also need a planning permit under the Cardinia Planning Scheme. Those run 60+ days, $1,300+, and are decided against State planning policy not just the Local Law. We check the title against the Cardinia planning maps at quote stage and tell you straight if you’re in that bucket before you spend anything.
Cardinia permit questions.
Which trees in Cardinia Shire actually need a Council permit before removal?
Under the Cardinia Shire Council Tree Protection Local Law, a permit is required before you lop, prune more than 10% of the canopy, ringbark, kill or remove any tree with a trunk circumference of 110cm or more at 1.4m above ground (roughly 35cm DBH). Any indigenous-remnant River Red Gum, Yellow Box, Manna Gum, Messmate Stringybark or Blackwood is protected at any size if it pre-dates the subdivision. Overlay land (ESO, VPO, SLO, BMO) needs a planning permit on top of the Local Law.
How long does a Cardinia permit take and what does it cost?
Around $108 lodgement, 14–28 days for the Local Law permit. A planning permit, if your title is in an overlay, is a separate process — 60+ days and $1,300+. Spring is the slow season because the application volume spikes after winter storms. We lodge and chase it for you.
What is the fine for cutting a protected tree without a permit?
On-the-spot infringement around $1,800 per tree under the Local Law, with Magistrates’ Court prosecution for serious cases. If the tree was inside a planning overlay, the offence is under the Planning and Environment Act with maximum penalties above $200,000 for an individual, plus replanting orders. Contractors who cut without sighting the permit can be prosecuted directly.
What about a dead tree — do I still need a permit?
Genuinely dead trees (no live foliage, no green under the bark) are exempt, but Council does follow up. A stressed tree with sparse canopy is not dead. We photograph and GPS-tag every exempt removal and keep the file in case Council inspects after the fact.
Got a tree you’re not sure about?
Send a photo and a rough measurement and we’ll tell you within an hour whether it’s in scope, what the permit pathway is, and what the realistic timeline looks like — before you spend a dollar.