Street and Park trees

Council manages all of its trees in line with policies and procedures outlined in the Tree Policy (PDF 1.9MB).  

If you are concerned about a Council tree, you can request an inspection which will be undertaken by one of Council’s qualified Arborists. If any remediation works are identified they will be programmed for completion by Council’s Tree Maintenance team, in line with the tree management standards set out in the Policy. Council will contact affected residents either by phone or a letter box card, outlining works to be completed.

Council will only remove trees if they are deemed dead, dying, diseased or dangerous (structurally). Council will not remove a tree due to the dropping of leaves, small branches, bark or flowers, or due to a community members allergies. 

If a tree is deemed necessary for removal in line with the Tree Policy (PDF 1.9MB), it may take up to 2 weeks for the tree stump to be removed as this requires the use of specialised equipment.  

Tree pruning on public property 

Trees are planted and maintained by the Council on behalf of the whole community and they perform the important role of shading our streets and footpaths and making our suburbs more enjoyable places to be. 

Council undertakes regular inspections and works to maintain its trees in reserves, foreshore and streets in good health and condition, although sometimes environmental factors can impact trees between scheduled inspections. 

If you would like to report an issue. Please check our tree pruning schedule to find out if the tree is due to be inspected soon. If a Council tree has been inspected in the last six months, additional inspection requests will be prioritised accordingly.  

Council engages qualified arborists and contractors to undertake the inspections and carry out any works that are required. 

Council is responsible for all formative and maintenance pruning. Residents and landowners are not permitted to prune Council trees. To maintain and improve the benefits provided by public trees, we maintain and enforce a number of policies and strategies aimed at protecting and enhancing our urban forest. 

See Definitions of Works Conducted by Council to understand more about the works conducted by Council.  

Tree pruning is completed: 

• to provide access for vehicles and pedestrians  
• to provide and maintain clearance from overhead electrical equipment inline with industry legislation 
• to prevent occupational health, safety and welfare risk to the public 
• for the correct development of young trees 
• to ensure footpath clearance access 
• to ensure sight line clearances for signs, crossovers and traffic lights.

Council prunes trees to Australian Standards AS 4373-2007 Pruning of amenity trees, it does not prune to property boundary. 

Sometimes the electricity provider 85% Powercor and 15% Jemena within Brimbank City Council will prune.

Council will not allow unreasonable pruning of trees for the following reasons: 

• for solar access 
• to reduce berries, nuts, leaves or other tree material or litter
• for causing minor allergy and irritant responses 
• to minimise obstructions of advertising signage and desired views 
• for awnings, verandahs and other projections over public open space 
• to reduce the impact from animal waste or noise 
• for personal aesthetic preference.

Different types of pruning represent the majority of all maintenance works conducted by council. Undertaken in accordance with AS 4373:2007, standard pruning methods include the following.

This is where lower branches are pruned to clear space underneath the tree, most commonly for cars or pedestrians.

Crown reduction involves pruning of the outermost edges of the crown. It may alleviate foliage encroachment over highways, building or street lighting. It also reduces the drag, decreasing the risk of wind damage. Although it reduces the size of the crown, this method should however retain the natural, balanced outline of the tree. To maintain healthy growth, this pruning should not remove more than 30% of the crown. It should also be noted that different tree species and even individual trees of the same species can vary in their response to crown thinning. Some trees may respond by producing vigorous straight growth, which then will require cyclical maintenance. Crown reduction is therefore usually only appropriate when the tree’s behaviour already is known, or when the tree has been proven to be implicated in an insurance claim related to subsidence or other structural damage.  

This method involves the even removal of small branches throughout the canopy of a tree. It reduces the overall density of the crown, letting more light and wind through the canopy. Since it retains the original outline of the crown, it can be hard to spot the impact of this kind of pruning work. It’s usually specified as a percentage of the crown, and no more than 30% will be pruned.

Removing branches or parts of branches that have died or become weak or diseased is called deadwooding. It’s an important part of the maintenance regimen, because such wood has the potential to cause damage if left on the tree. Removed dead wood is valuable to wildlife. If safe to do so, it should be left on site as habitat logs. In habitat corridors and other conservation areas, trees with significant dead wood, or even entire dead trees, may be left for habitat purposes.

Young immature trees can benefit from formative pruning, which removes crossing or rubbing branches and weak forks to encourage a good natural shape. This can reduce subsequent health issues and the need for major pruning when the tree has matured.

If a tree is considered dead, dying, diseased or dangerous, Council will remove it. The stump will initially be left in the ground to be assessed for signs of regrowth. In some cases, the stump may need to be poisoned to prevent regrowth. Once Council officers are satisfied that there is no regrowth, the stump will be removed. Healthy trees do occasionally need to be removed. A tree or group of trees might for instance interfere with a neighbouring tree or group of trees, preventing healthy development of either. In such cases, the more desirable tree or group of trees will be preserved. Another reason for the removal of a healthy tree can be that it is substantially contributing to damage to public or private property. In the above scenarios, tree removal will only be considered as a last resort, after all other options have been considered. 

Trees are susceptible to pests and disease. If either is discovered, Council will undertake the recommended treatment. Signs will be placed on the tree to advise the public of the treatment applied and the reason for its use. 

Council requires that outbreaks of exotic and endemic pests or disease be reported to Council’s Open Space team for appropriate action. Consistent with Brimbank Biodiversity Action Plan 2012–2022* being reviewed 2024. Council will develop and implement best-practice management standards for minimising the spread of pests and disease, including pathogens such as Phytophthera. 

To redirect roots away from surrounding infrastructure, a root barrier may be installed. In most cases, this is done to reduce the impact of council trees on private property. Root pruning Root pruning is another method for preventing damage to infrastructure or to allow for footings to be constructed. This kind of pruning will only be carried out if it does not cause any structural damage to the tree, and only under the supervision of a qualified arborist. 

Structurally weak trees that are vulnerable to damage from winds or their own weight may be supported with cable and bracing. This is done to reduce the risk of structural failure and ultimate destruction of the tree. However, this method is not suitable for all trees, and it is generally only applied on significant trees, when the loss of the tree or a branch would have a major impact on the landscape. 

Branches overhanging a property line may be pruned by Council, but only up to 6 metres over the property line. As per the below, Council does not support the wholesale pruning of an entire side of a tree.

Any emergency work requested during normal working hours will be directed to Council for action. The tree will be assessed and given priority for maintenance works as appropriate. 

Out-of-hours calls are directed to Council’s Out of Hours Service. If deemed an emergency, an Emergency Duty Officer will then allocate works to remove any danger immediately. 

Out-of-hours emergency work will only aim to make affected trees and surrounds safe; any urgent maintenance will be carried out when working hours resume.

For out of hours, contact 03 9249 4000.