Council rules
Tree removal rules, council by council
The single most common — and most expensive — mistake in South East Queensland is assuming a tree on your own land is yours to remove. Whether you need approval depends on your council, and the rules differ sharply between them.
Brisbane
Most detailedNatural Assets Local Law 2003 (NALL)
Brisbane has some of the tightest vegetation protection rules in South East Queensland, and they apply to trees on your own property. Interfering with protected vegetation without a permit is an offence — so the first question is never "who removes this tree", it is "is this tree protected, and do I have grounds".
- Application fee
- Free — Brisbane City Council does not charge for protected vegetation permit applications.
Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay planning scheme vegetation provisions
Moreton Bay applies a clear size threshold alongside overlay-based protection, which makes it one of the easier councils to assess up front — provided you check the overlays as well as the tree.
- Application fee
- Application fees vary by application type — confirm the current fee with Council before lodging.
Logan
Logan Planning Scheme 2015
Logan splits protected vegetation into two mapped categories, and which one applies to your property determines everything that follows. Clearing protected vegetation requires an Operational Works application, not a simple permit.
- Application fee
- Operational Works application fees apply and vary by scope — confirm current fees with Council.
Gold Coast
Gold Coast City Plan — Vegetation Management Code
The Gold Coast frames tree work as a development question. Your proposed work is either accepted development, requiring no application, or assessable development, requiring approval — and identifying which one you are in is the whole exercise.
- Application fee
- A lodgement fee applies — reported at $160 at the time of writing. Confirm the current fee with Council, as it is reviewed annually.
Ipswich
Local Law No. 49 (Protection of Important Vegetation)
Ipswich protects important vegetation through Vegetation Protection Orders made under its local law. A VPO can cover a single tree, a cluster, or a large wooded area — and it attaches to the vegetation regardless of who owns the land.
- Application fee
- Fees are set in Council’s annual Register of Fees and Charges — confirm the current figure before lodging.
Redland
Redland City Council Local Law 6
Redland protects vegetation through Tree Protection Areas and Vegetation Protection Orders, with permits issued under Local Law 6. Heritage-listed properties carry a stricter test again — and one that explicitly names the AQF Level 5 qualification.
- Application fee
- Permit fees are set by Council — confirm the current figure before lodging.
At a glance
How the six councils differ
The thresholds are not consistent, and the measurement points genuinely differ. This is where most self-assessments go wrong.
| Council | Primary instrument | Application fee |
|---|---|---|
| Brisbane | Natural Assets Local Law 2003 (NALL) | Free — Brisbane City Council does not charge for protected vegetation permit applications. |
| Moreton Bay | Moreton Bay planning scheme vegetation provisions | Application fees vary by application type — confirm the current fee with Council before lodging. |
| Logan | Logan Planning Scheme 2015 | Operational Works application fees apply and vary by scope — confirm current fees with Council. |
| Gold Coast | Gold Coast City Plan — Vegetation Management Code | A lodgement fee applies — reported at $160 at the time of writing. Confirm the current fee with Council, as it is reviewed annually. |
| Ipswich | Local Law No. 49 (Protection of Important Vegetation) | Fees are set in Council’s annual Register of Fees and Charges — confirm the current figure before lodging. |
| Redland | Redland City Council Local Law 6 | Permit fees are set by Council — confirm the current figure before lodging. |
Fees and rules change. Each council page notes when it was last reviewed, and links to the official council source — always confirm before acting.
Outside these six councils?
These are the areas covered in depth, but consulting work extends across South East Queensland. Ask about your area.