City of Greater Bendigo Tree Removal Services

Greater Bendigo’s Tree Removal Experts

Milone’s Tree Solutions provides practical, well-planned tree work across Greater Bendigo’s box-ironbark country, from Bendigo and Eaglehawk to Heathcote, Kangaroo Flat and Strathfieldsaye. Our qualified arborists have 20+ years’ experience in safe tree removal, accurate tree trimming and complete stump grinding.

We can also assess urgent hazards through our emergency tree services, while helping you understand local council regulations before work begins. For a particular pruning or access issue, we can advise on suitable tree lopping and the appropriate next step for your site.

Understanding City of Greater Bendigo Tree Protection Requirements

The City advises that a permit is usually required to remove, destroy or lop native vegetation, including dead native vegetation. The Greater Bendigo Planning Scheme contains vegetation, landscape and heritage controls. No private-land tree permit or standalone significant-tree register was found; the Heritage Overlay schedule protects many individually identified trees and stands.

When You Need a Permit

A planning permit may be required where:

• Native vegetation, including dead native vegetation, is to be removed, destroyed or lopped under Clause 52.17, unless exempt.
• The property is affected by VPO1 Wildlife Corridor Protection, VPO2 Significant Vegetation or VPO3 Roadside Remnant Vegetation.
• The site is in SLO1 Bush Garden and Semi-Bush Residential Areas or SLO2 Campaspe River Valley Environs.
• ESO5 Protection of Remnant Vegetation affects the land and regulates native vegetation, including dead vegetation.
• The Erosion Management Overlay affects the site and may regulate any vegetation, native or exotic.
• The Heritage Overlay schedule specifies tree controls for the heritage place.
• Under the new statewide Clause 52.37 Canopy Trees provision (introduced 15 September 2025), a planning permit is also required to remove, destroy or lop established canopy trees (over 5 metres tall with a trunk circumference over 0.5 metres and a canopy of 4 metres or more) in most residential zones.

When a Permit May Not Be Required

Planning-scheme exemptions can apply, but only when all relevant conditions are met:

• In designated bushfire prone areas, the 10/30 and 10/50 exemptions can allow any vegetation, including trees, within 10 metres of eligible accommodation, plus vegetation other than trees within the applicable 30- or 50-metre distance.
• Dead native vegetation may be exempt, except for a standing dead tree with a trunk diameter of 40 cm or more measured 1.3 metres above ground.
• Emergency work may remove only the part of vegetation presenting an immediate risk of personal injury or property damage.
• Maintenance pruning can be exempt where no more than one-third of each plant’s foliage is lopped or pruned, subject to the Clause 52.17 limitations.
• Under ESO5, vegetation that is not native to Victoria, including dead vegetation, does not require a permit; SLO1 also exempts lopping undertaken to assist regeneration.

However, we always recommend contacting the City of Greater Bendigo or consulting with our professional arborists to confirm whether a permit is required for your specific situation.

Note: trees on nature strips, road reserves and parks are managed by City of Greater Bendigo. Report concerns about council-managed trees to council rather than arranging private works.

City of Greater Bendigo Permit Application Process

The current statutory planning fee depends on the application class, and the published schedule does not nominate a single vegetation-removal category. As at the 2025–26 schedule, listed examples include:

• Class 1 use-only and Class 22 applications not otherwise provided for at $1,496.10.
• Class 11 development applications with an estimated cost up to $100,000 at $1,302.80.
• A minor amendment for works under $10,000 at $226.90.

How to Apply

Start with the City’s Before you apply for a planning permit page, then use the native-vegetation guidance to prepare a standard lodgement and address the avoid, minimise and offset process. Include species details, measurements, the reason for the work, photos and an arborist report; depending on the site, Council may also require vegetation mapping, slope information and evidence of the assessment pathway and offset. Milone’s Tree Solutions can prepare a comprehensive arborist report to support your application, and our tree removal permit advice service can guide you through the process.

Official City of Greater Bendigo Resources

• Planning Information: Native vegetation removal
• Before you apply for a planning permit
• Heritage Overlay schedule and named tree controls

Sources last checked: 7 August 2026.

The information provided on this page is intended as general guidance only. Permit requirements for tree pruning, removal, and any works vary between local councils and may change without notice. If in doubt, or for the avoidance of doubt, Milone’s Tree Solutions strongly advises all customers to conduct their own due diligence and contact their local council directly to confirm whether permits, consents or approvals are required before proceeding with any tree works. Milone’s Tree Solutions accepts no responsibility or liability for any loss, penalty, or action resulting from reliance on the information contained herein or from failure to obtain the necessary permits prior to works being undertaken.

Common Trees Across the City of Greater Bendigo

Greater Bendigo is box-ironbark country. The planning scheme specifically directs decision-makers to maintain the integrity of box-ironbark vegetation around Bendigo and Heathcote, while the Heritage Overlay schedule identifies many individual trees and stands.

• Red Ironbark (Eucalyptus sideroxylon): Protected groups and stands in the Heritage Overlay schedule make this the signature local eucalypt for permit checks.
• Yellow Gum (Eucalyptus leucoxylon): Yellow Gum is individually identified in the Heritage Overlay schedule.
• River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis): River Red Gum is another named heritage-protected species in the municipality.
• Green Mallee (Eucalyptus viridis): The schedule identifies a Green Mallee specimen at 19 Haggar Street, Eaglehawk.
• Lemon Scented Gum (Eucalyptus citriodora): Heritage-listed plantings include specimens at Jobs Gully Bridge.
• Tasmanian Blue Gum and Red Box: Both are included among the species identified in the Heritage Overlay schedule.