Tree removal in Belgrave
Belgrave's tree rule is stricter than the one up the hill in Sherbrooke and Kallista. Most of the town sits under an overlay that needs a council permit for any tree more than 50 cm around the trunk.
We connect you with a local arborist who works in the hills.
Ask for a quoteDandenong Ranges. Photo: Uzman Naleer, CC BY-SA 4.0
The rule in Belgrave
Most of Belgrave is zoned Low Density Residential and sits under Yarra Ranges' Significant Landscape Overlay, Schedule 22 (SLO22). Under SLO22 you need a council permit to remove, destroy or lop any indigenous vegetation, whatever its size, and any tree over this size:
- 50 cm
- around the trunk, measured 1.3 m above the ground. Wrap a tape measure around the trunk at chest height. A 50 cm trunk is only about 16 cm across, so the rule catches most established trees.
- 2 m
- SLO22 does not apply to vegetation within 2 m of a building. Branches hanging over a house, garage or shed can be cut back until they are 2 m clear of it.
- 10 m
- The state's 10/30 rule. Belgrave is in a Bushfire Prone Area, and your property report confirms it for your block. If your home was built or approved before 10 September 2009, you may clear any vegetation within 10 m of it, trees included, and anything except trees within 30 m. This rule applies whatever the overlay says. The conditions in full.
SLO22 also does not apply to dead vegetation, to pruning that helps a plant regrow, or to species on Yarra Ranges' List of Environmental Weeds 2019. Another overlay can still need a permit for the same tree.
Get a free property report from VicPlan to see which overlays cover your block.
Checked 6 October 2026 against Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedule 22 to Clause 42.03 (SLO22) and Planning Victoria: bushfire vegetation removal (Clause 52.12).
Other overlays in Belgrave
We sampled the state's planning maps at 25 points around the centre of Belgrave. These overlays came up besides SLO22. Your property report lists the ones on your block.
- Bushfire Management Overlay, at every point. It controls new buildings and the cleared space around them. It does not need a permit to remove a tree.
- Erosion Management Overlay, at about half the points. It needs a permit to remove vegetation, though not a tree 50 cm or less around, anything within 2 m of a building, or dead vegetation where the ground is made good afterwards.
- Environmental Significance Overlay (ESO1), at a few points. It keeps a permit on a standing dead tree more than 1.3 m around the trunk, which SLO22 alone would let go. Its exemption near buildings reaches 4 m, but where SLO22 also applies the 2 m limit still holds.
- A different landscape schedule, SLO3, at a few points. It has the same terms as SLO1 up the hill: 4 m from a building, and trees over 1.1 m around, as well as native vegetation of any size.
The state's canopy-tree rule (Clause 52.37) does not apply in the Low Density Residential Zone, so it applies to few Belgrave homes.
Checked 7 October 2026 against Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedule to Clause 44.01 (EMO), Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedule 1 to Clause 42.01 (ESO1), Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedule 3 to Clause 42.03 (SLO3) and Victoria Planning Provisions, Clause 52.37 (canopy trees).
After a storm
If a fallen or split tree is an immediate risk of injury or damage, the overlay lets you remove the part that is the risk without a permit. Only that part. Leave the rest of the tree until someone has assessed it.
For a tree on the house or across the road, call VICSES on 132 500. If anyone's life is in danger, call 000.
Checked 6 October 2026 against Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Clause 42.03 (Significant Landscape Overlay) and VICSES.
Blackberry and weeds
Blackberry is a declared noxious weed in the Port Phillip and Western Port catchment, which takes in Belgrave, and landowners must control it. The overlay's permit does not apply to declared noxious weeds, or to anything on the council's environmental weeds list.
Checked 6 October 2026 against Agriculture Victoria: blackberry and Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Clause 42.03 (Significant Landscape Overlay).
If you need a permit
Applications go to Yarra Ranges Council. For one tree, the overlay allows a VicSmart application, the state's faster track. It is open to you if no VicSmart tree permit has been granted on your land in the last 12 months and no other is under way.
The council explains how to apply on its page about removing a tree on private land. Our permit guide sets out the overlays across the hills.
Checked 6 October 2026 against Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Clause 42.03 (Significant Landscape Overlay) and Yarra Ranges Council: removing a tree on private land.
The rule next door
Cross into the next suburb and the numbers can change.
- Tecoma and Upwey
- The same township overlay as Belgrave, SLO22, covers most of Upwey and the centre of Tecoma: 2 m from a building, and trees over 50 cm around.
- Sherbrooke, Kallista, Belgrave Heights and Belgrave South
- The ranges overlay, SLO1, covers Kallista and Belgrave South, most of Belgrave Heights and the centre of Sherbrooke: 4 m from a building, and trees over 1.1 m around, as well as native vegetation of any size.
- Selby
- A different schedule, SLO3, with the same terms as SLO1: 4 m from a building, and trees over 1.1 m around.
A block near a suburb boundary can fall under either overlay. Your property report is the way to know.
Checked 7 October 2026 against Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedule 22 to Clause 42.03 (SLO22), Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedule 1 to Clause 42.03 (SLO1) and Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedule 3 to Clause 42.03 (SLO3).
Ask for a quote
Tell us where you are and what needs doing. We pass it to a local arborist who works in the hills. They ring you back to talk about the job.