Tree removal in Kilsyth
Kilsyth has its own landscape overlay, and its line falls between the townships' and the ranges': a permit for a trunk more than 80 cm around. A strip on the western edge is in Maroondah, with different rules.
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The rule in Kilsyth, Yarra Ranges side
Most of Kilsyth is in Yarra Ranges: 135 of the 153 points we sampled, 250 m apart. In the streets, the overlay is SLO23, found at 58 points. It needs a permit to remove or lop a tree with a trunk more than:
- 80 cm
- around at 1.3 m (26 cm across). That sits between the township overlay's 50 cm and the ranges' 1.1 m. Unlike either of them, SLO23 doesn't cover smaller native plants.
- 2 m
- A tree whose base is within 2 m of a building is exempt, and branches over a house, garage or shed can be cut back to 2 m clear.
- 10 m
- The 10/30 rule reaches only part of the suburb: 44 of our 153 points were in a Bushfire Prone Area. How it works.
Dead trees are exempt under SLO23, as are trees on the council's environmental weeds list and lopping that helps a tree regrow.
Get a free property report from VicPlan to see which overlays cover your block.
Checked 7 October 2026 against Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedule 23 to Clause 42.03 (SLO23) and Victoria Planning Provisions, Clause 52.12 (bushfire protection exemptions).
Big gardens, and the canopy-tree rule
SLO23's own statement says Kilsyth and Mooroolbark were built up over 60 years, and that their mature gardens link the streets to the treed backdrop of the ranges. Most of those streets are also in a residential zone (66 of our points), so the state's canopy-tree rule applies as well. On a block with a house, it catches a tree at least 5 m tall with a 4 m canopy when the trunk is within 6 m of the street frontage or 4.5 m of the rear boundary. A tree can need a permit under either.
Checked 7 October 2026 against Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedule 23 to Clause 42.03 (SLO23) and Victoria Planning Provisions, Clause 52.37 (canopy trees).
The rural side
Kilsyth isn't all streets. Green wedge land made up 39 of our points, and SLO6, the rural landscape overlay, turned up at 39 as well. It sets the trunk line higher, at 1.1 m around, and also covers native vegetation of any size. Its exemption reaches 4 m from a building. ESO1, at 5 points, keeps a permit on large standing dead trees.
Checked 7 October 2026 against Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedule 6 to Clause 42.03 (SLO6) and Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedule 1 to Clause 42.01 (ESO1).
The Maroondah side
Eighteen points fell in Maroondah, all on the western edge of the suburb. Eight, further south, were mostly industrial land. The ten to the north-west, nearly all homes, sat under Maroondah's SLO4, which works differently:
- Any vegetation needs a permit, except a tree under 5 m tall and under 50 cm around at 1 m.
- 3 m from a house is exempt. Unlike SLO23, the distance runs from the dwelling only, not from a shed or garage.
- Dead, dying or dangerous trees are exempt only once someone suitably qualified, such as an arborist, has declared them so.
Your property report names the council. Applications for the western strip go to Maroondah.
Checked 7 October 2026 against Maroondah Planning Scheme, Schedule 4 to Clause 42.03 (SLO4) and Maroondah City Council: tree and native vegetation removal.
From orchards to Canterbury Road
Kilsyth is named after the town in Scotland, and most of it was cleared for orchards. The post office opened in 1900 and the first school in 1910. Today Canterbury Road carries an industrial strip from Liverpool Road to Dorset Road, and 30 of our points were industrial land. Industrial zones are outside the canopy-tree rule, but an overlay can still apply there.
Checked 7 October 2026 against Wikipedia: Kilsyth, Victoria and Victoria Planning Provisions, Clause 52.37 (canopy trees).
The rule next door
- Montrose
- Yarra Ranges' SLO22 on most blocks: 50 cm around, 2 m.
- Kilsyth South
- Maroondah's SLO1 and VPO1, and a 3 m exemption.
- The Basin
- Knox, where a tree 5 m tall needs a permit.
The permit guide covers all three councils.
Checked 7 October 2026 against Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedule 22 to Clause 42.03 (SLO22), Maroondah Planning Scheme, Schedule 1 to Clause 42.03 (SLO1) and Knox Planning Scheme, Schedule 4 to Clause 42.03 (SLO4).
Ask for a quote
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