Tree Removal Guidelines
A step-by-step guide to exemptions, other controls, Council approval and what happens after approval.
Exempt Tree Species Northern Beaches
Some tree species on private property in the Northern Beaches can be removed without Council consent. Northern Beaches Council maintains an Exempt Tree Species List. Council states that the listed species are suitable for removal without consent unless the tree is identified as a heritage item or is within a heritage area.
The first step is to identify the tree correctly and check that the exemption actually applies to your tree and property. We check exemptions first, before recommending a Council application or arborist report.
This page is a practical guide to the current Northern Beaches Council list. It applies to private-property tree enquiries across Curl Curl, Frenchs Forest, Manly, Narrabeen and Pittwater wards.
- AQF Level 5 Consulting Arborists
- QTRA & TRAQ Qualified
- 32+ Years' Experience
- Council Pathway Checked First
Is my tree on the Northern Beaches Council exempt species list?
The table below follows Northern Beaches Council's current published Exempt Tree Species List. Where Council places a limit or exclusion on a species group, that condition is shown in the table.
Showing all 45 entries
| Scientific / Council-listed name | Common name / Council description |
|---|---|
| Acacia baileyana | Cootamundra Wattle |
| Acacia saligna | Golden Wreath (or Willow) Wattle |
| Acer negundo | Box Elder |
| Alianthus altissima | Tree of Heaven |
| All Ficus spp. except F. macrophylla, F. rubiginosa, F. coronata | All Ficus spp. except Moreton Bay Fig, Port Jackson Fig and Sandpaper Fig |
| Alnus jorullensis | Evergreen Alder |
| Araucaria bidwillii - not Norfolk Island Pines | Bunya Bunya Pine |
| Brachychiton acerifolius | Illawarra Flame Tree |
| Cassia spp. | Cassia |
| Castanospermum australe | Black Bean / Moreton Bay Chestnut |
| Celtis australis | Hackberry |
| Cinnamomum camphora | Camphor Laurel |
| Citharexylum spinosum | Fiddlewood |
| Cotoneaster glaucophyllus | Cotoneaster |
| Cupaniopsis anacardioides | Tuckeroo |
| Cupressus spp.; Cupressocyparis spp.; Chamaecyparis spp. | Cypress Pine |
| Eriobotrya japonica; Carica papaya; Citrus spp.; Fortunella spp.; Malus spp.; Morus spp.; Persea spp.; Prunus spp. | All non-native fruit-producing trees - Council examples include Loquat, Paw Paw, Citrus, Kumquat, Apple, Mulberry, Avocado, Apricot, Almond, Cherry, Plum, Peach and Mango |
| Erythrina spp. | Coral Tree |
| Eucalyptus nicholi | Peppermint Gum |
| Eucalyptus scoparia | Wallangarra White Gum |
| Fraxinus griffithii | Himalayan Ash / Griffiths Ash |
| Gleditsia triacanthos | Honey Locust |
| Grevillea robusta | Silky Oak |
| Harpephyllum caffrum | Kaffir Plum |
| Jacaranda mimosifolia | Jacaranda |
| Lagerstroemia | Crepe Myrtle |
| Lagunaria patersonia | Norfolk Island Hibiscus |
| Ligustrum spp. | Large and Small Leaf Privet |
| Liquidambar styriflua | Liquidambar |
| Nerium oleander | Oleander |
| Olea spp. | Olive |
| Palms other than Livistona australis | Palms other than Cabbage Tree Palm |
| Paraserianthes lophantha | Crested Wattle |
| Pinus spp. | Pine |
| Pittosporum spp. - up to 8 m | Pittosporum |
| Populus spp. | Poplar |
| Pyracantha angustifolia | Orange Fire Thorn |
| Raphiolepis indica | Indian Hawthorn |
| Robinia pseudoacacia | False Acacia |
| Salix spp. | Willow |
| Sapium sebiferum | Chinese Tallow |
| Schefflera actinophylla | Umbrella Tree |
| Spathodea campanulata | African Tulip Tree |
| Syagrus (Arecastrum) romanzoffiana | Cocos Palm |
| Ulmus parvifolia | Chinese Elm |
| No matching species on the Council list. If you're unsure what your tree is, we can identify it for you. | |
Council list checked: 7 October 2026. We checked the Northern Beaches Council Exempt Tree Species List on 7 October 2026. Council rules and species lists can change, so the current Council list should always be confirmed before tree removal.
If you are unsure whether your tree is exempt, our local AQF Level 5 Consulting Arborist can identify the tree species and confirm whether the species exemption applies.
What are the important exceptions?
Heritage
Northern Beaches Council states that an exempt species is suitable for removal without consent unless it is identified as a heritage item or is within a heritage area. Do not rely on the species list alone where heritage controls apply.
Figs
Council lists Ficus species generally, but specifically excludes Moreton Bay Fig, Port Jackson Fig and Sandpaper Fig from that general exemption.
Palms
Council lists palms other than Livistona australis. This means the Cabbage Tree Palm is not covered by the general palm exemption.
Bunya Bunya Pine
Araucaria bidwillii is listed. Council specifically notes that this does not mean Norfolk Island Pines are exempt under that entry.
Pittosporum
Council's list specifies Pittosporum species only up to 8 metres. A Pittosporum over that height should not be treated as exempt under this species entry without checking the applicable rules.
Does an exempt species always mean I can remove the tree?
No. The species exemption is an important first check, but it is not a substitute for checking the circumstances of the property and the proposed work. Heritage is an express exception on Council's species page. Development approvals, biodiversity or vegetation controls and other statutory requirements may also affect the pathway for a particular site.
If the tree is on public or Council-managed land, do not treat the private-property exempt species list as permission to remove it. Council has a separate process for trees on public land.
Do I need an AQF Level 5 arborist report for an exempt tree?
Not simply because the tree is on the exempt species list. If the exemption clearly applies and no other control changes the pathway, a Level 5 report should not be presented as an automatic requirement.
An AQF Level 5 Consulting Arborist has higher-level arboricultural qualifications relevant to tree assessment, professional reporting and development arboriculture. Where Council requires professional arboricultural evidence, or removal is proposed because of tree risk, structural defects, decay, declining health, instability, root damage or development impacts, our AQF Level 5 Consulting Arborists can assess the tree and prepare a Council-ready report where required.
An AQF Level 3 arborist is appropriately qualified for practical arboricultural work such as tree pruning and removal. Once the exemption or approval is established, tree removal can commence using appropriately qualified tree-work personnel for the work required.
Our tree removal pathway
Identify the tree
Confirm the species rather than relying on a common-name guess.
Check exemptions first
Compare the tree with the current Northern Beaches Council rules and species list.
Check exceptions and site controls
Confirm whether heritage, development or other relevant controls affect the proposed removal.
Assess and report where required
If professional evidence is needed, an AQF Level 5 Consulting Arborist can inspect the tree and prepare the appropriate report.
Proceed with removal
Once the exemption or approval is established, tree removal can commence.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Jacaranda mimosifolia is currently on Northern Beaches Council's Exempt Tree Species List. The heritage exception and any other applicable property controls still need to be checked before removal.
Council currently lists palms other than Livistona australis. The Cabbage Tree Palm is therefore excluded from the general palm exemption. Cocos Palm is also separately named on Council's exempt list.
Some are. Council lists Ficus species as exempt but excludes Moreton Bay Fig, Port Jackson Fig and Sandpaper Fig. Correct identification matters because those excluded figs should not be treated as exempt under the general Ficus entry.
Council's list contains a group for non-native fruit-producing trees and gives examples such as Loquat, Paw Paw, Citrus, Kumquat, Apple, Mulberry, Avocado, Apricot, Almond, Cherry, Plum, Peach and Mango. If the species is uncertain, confirm the identification before relying on the exemption.
Do not guess. Similar-looking trees can fall on different sides of the exemption list. Identification may use the whole-tree form, leaves, bark, fruit, flowers and other botanical features.
For a tree removal enquiry, clear photographs of the whole tree and close photographs of leaves, bark, fruit or flowers can help establish what needs to be checked. Where a site inspection or professional assessment is required, we can identify the tree and confirm the next step.
Exempt tree species across the Northern Beaches
The Council-wide species list is relevant to private-property enquiries across the Northern Beaches, from Manly and the lower beaches through Dee Why, Narrabeen and Mona Vale to Pittwater, subject to the controls applying to the individual property.
Official Council reference
Related pages
Tree Removal
Council pathway checked first, with Level 5 reports where required.
Is My Tree Dangerous?
Compare 15 visible warning signs with your own tree.
Tree Health & Safety Assessments
Level 5 assessment of defects, decay and movement.
Not sure whether your tree is exempt?
Our local AQF Level 5 Consulting Arborist can identify the tree species and confirm whether the species exemption applies.