Hills District Exempt Tree Species List

Trees in NSW are regulated by local council. Before you begin any tree work you will need to check your permit requirements, and if necessary, obtain a tree work permit.

Each Local Government Area (LGA) has its own regulations. They define what trees are protected, and lists all the permit exemptions.

Most LGA’s have an exempt tree species list. These are undesirable tree species that you can prune or remove without a permit.

To check your exempt tree species list, select your LGA from the dropdown list below.

NB: It’s important to work with an experienced Arborist who can identify your tree, and help you understand local requirements. To speak to a specialist you can request a call back.

Select your Local Government Area:

The Hills Shire Exempt Tree Species List

The following table lists exempt tree species for The Hills Shire Council.

Botanical Name	Common Name
Acer negundo	Box Elder
Ailanthus altissima	Tree of Heaven
Albizia lophantha syn. Paraserianthes lophantha	Cape Leeuwin Wattle
Alnus jorullensis	Evergreen Alder
Archontophoenix alexandrae	Alexandra Palm
Archontophoenix cunninghamiana	Bangalow Palm
Celtis australis	Hackberry
Citharexylum spinosum	Fiddlewood
Cotoneaster spp.	Cotoneaster
Cupressus sempervirens ‘Stricta’	Pencil Pine
x Cupressocyparis Leylandii	Leyland Cypress
Erythrina X sykesii	Coral Tree
Ficus benjamina	Weeping Fig
Ficus elastica	Indian Rubber Tree
Gleditsia triacanthos	Honey Locust
Grevillea robusta	Silky Oak
Harpephyllum caffrum	Kaffir Plum
Lagunaria patersonia	Norfolk Island Hibiscus
Ligustrum lucidum	Broad Leaved Privet
Ligustrum sinense	Small Leaved Privet
Liquidambar styraciflua	Liquidambar
Nerium oleander	Oleander
Olea europaea var. africana	Wild Olive/African Olive
Pinus radiata	Monterey Pine/ Radiata Pine
Pittosporum undulatum	Sweet Pittosporum
Populus nigra “Italica”	Lombardy Poplar
Robinia pseudoacacia	False Acacia/Black Locust
Salix babylonica	Weeping Willow
Schefflera actinophylla	Queensland Umbrella Tree
Schinus molle	Peppercorn Tree
Schinus terebinthifolius	Brazilian Mastic, Broadleaf Pepper Tree
Syagrus romanzoffiana	Cocos Palm
Tamarix aphylla	Athel Tree
Toxicodendron succedaneum	Rhus Tree
Triadica sebifera	Chinese Tallow
Washingtonia robusta	Mexican Fan Palm
A fruit tree or tree grown for the purposes of fruit production, excluding naturally growing native fruiting species.

Trees of the following species may be pruned or removed without development consent if the height of the tree is less than 10m.

Botanical Name	Common Name
Araucaria bidwillii	Bunya Bunya Pine
Araucaria cunninghamii	Hoop Pine
Araucaria heterophylla	Norfolk Island Pine
Cinnamomum camphora	Camphor Laurel
Cupressus macrocarpa	Monterey Cypress
Melia azedarach	White Cedar

Hornsby Shire Exempt Tree Species List

The following table lists exempt tree species for the Hornsby Shire Council.

Botanical Name	Common Name
Acacia baileyana	Cootamundra Wattle
Acacia saligna	Golden Wreath Wattle
Acer negundo	Box Elder
Ailanthus altissima	Tree of Heaven
Alnus jorullensis	Evergreen Alder
Arecastrum romanzoffanum	Cocos Palm
Celtis sinensis	Hackberry
Cinnamomum camphora	Camphor Laurel
All edible fruit and nut trees except native species such as Acmena spp (Lilli Pilli), Syzygium spp (Lilli Pilli) Elaeocarpus spp (Blueberry Ash) or Macadamia spp (Macadamia Tree)	Fruit and Nut trees
Cotoneaster spp.	Cotoneaster
Eriobotrya japonica	Loquat
Erythrina spp	Coral tree
Ficus elastica	Rubber tree
Gleditisa triacanthos	Honey Locust
Lagunaria patersonii	Norfolk Island Hibiscus
Ligustrum spp	Privet
Populus spp	Poplar
Pyracantha augustifolia	Firethorn
Robinia pseudoscacia	Golden Robinia
Salix spp	Willow
Scheffera actinophylla	Umbrella Tree
Schinus spp	Peppercorn Tree
Toxicodendron spp	Rhus

City of Blacktown Council does not have an exempt tree species list.

City of Parramatta Council Exempt Tree Species List

The following table lists exempt tree species for the City of Parramatta Council.

Botanical Name	Common Name
Ailanthus altissima	Tree of Heaven
Celtis sinensis	Hackberry
Cotoneaster spp.	Cotoneaster
Eriobotrya japonica	Loquat
Erythrina spp.	Coral Trees
Gleditsia triacanthos	Honey Locust
Ligustrum lucidum & cvs	Large Leafed Privet
Ligustrum sinense	Small Leafed Privet
Nerium oleander	Oleander
Olea europaea var. africana	African Olive
Populus nigra	Italica Lombardy Poplar
Pyracantha spp.	Firethorn
Rhus toxicondendron	Rhus/Sumac Tree
Schefflera actinophylla	Umbrella Tree
Syagrus romanzoffianum	Cocos Island/Queen Palm

Hawkesbury City Council Exempt Tree Species List

The following table lists exempt tree species for the Hawkesbury City Council.

Botanical Name	Common Name
Salix spp	all Willow species
Populus spp	all Poplar species
Ligustrum lucidum	Broad Leaf Privet
Ligustrum sinense	Small Leaf Privet
Ricinus communis	Castor Oil Plant
Gleditsia triacanthos	Honey Locust
Ailanthus altissima	Tree of Heaven
Cortaderia Selloana	Pampas Grass
Olea europaea	African Olive
Acer negundo	Box Elder
Toxicodendron succedaneum	Rhus
Cinnamomum camphora	Camphor Laurel
Pinus radiata	Radiata Pine
Syagrus romanzoffianum	Cocos Palm
Phoenix canariensis	Canary Island Date Palm
Citrus sp.	Fruit trees