Lane Cove · Lane Cove Council
Tree removal in Lane Cove
Tree removal, pruning and stump grinding in Lane Cove, Lane Cove North, Greenwich, Longueville and Riverview.
Tree work in Lane Cove
Lane Cove is one of Sydney's leafiest council areas, with bushland reserves running down to the Lane Cove River and Parramatta River. Some trees here sit within mapped Endangered Ecological Communities, which are assessed by the NSW Native Vegetation Panel rather than council.
Lane Cove publishes its fees clearly: $160 to prune or remove 1–3 trees, plus $35 for each extra tree, from 1 July 2026. Species on Council's fee-free list still need a fee-free permit before work starts.
Lane Cove Council rules at a glance
A permit is usually needed if the tree is at least 4 m tall, a canopy 5 m wide, or a trunk 150 mm across at 1 m.
Pruning a tree above the size thresholds needs a permit, but dead branch removal can go through the fee-free permit.
Exemptions and special cases
- Fee-free permits cover pruning dead branches and removing species on Council's Fee-Free Species List (some with height limits). You still need the fee-free permit before starting work.
- Trees in a mapped Endangered Ecological Community go to the NSW Native Vegetation Panel, not Council.
- Trees on a heritage item, in a heritage conservation area or on an Aboriginal place need a development application through the NSW Planning Portal.
Services in Lane Cove
How a job works
Call or send photos
Tell us the suburb, roughly how tall the tree is and what's around it. Photos of the whole tree and the access to it help us give you a ballpark straight away.
On-site quote
A qualified arborist looks at the tree, the access and anything it could hit on the way down, then gives you a fixed price.
Council check
We tell you whether your council needs to approve the work and what to send them. If a permit is needed, the work is booked once it's approved.
Job done, site cleaned
The tree comes down in sections where space is tight, the green waste goes, and the stump is ground out if you've asked for it.
Nearby suburbs
Also: Balmoral, Clifton Gardens, Beauty Point, Spit Junction, Cremorne Point, Kirribilli, Milsons Point, Cammeray, Crows Nest, Wollstonecraft, Waverton, Northbridge, Castlecrag, Middle Cove, Artarmon, St Leonards, Greenwich, Longueville, Riverview.
Common questions
Do I need council approval to remove a tree on the north shore?
Usually, if the tree is above your council's size threshold. Mosman, North Sydney and Ku-ring-gai protect most trees 5 m or taller; Willoughby and Lane Cove start at 4 m. Exempt species, dead trees and declared weeds are treated differently. Our council permit guide covers each council.
How long does a permit take?
Mosman Council usually inspects within about ten working days, and North Sydney Council aims to assess within 12 business days. Willoughby publishes applications for public comment, which can add time. Book the inspection early if the job isn't urgent.
Need a tree looked at?
Tell us the suburb and send a photo. We'll tell you what's involved, whether council needs to approve it, and what it should cost.