Clearing trees in Bundaberg — do you need approval?
Bundaberg Regional Council's planning scheme — the Bundaberg Regional Council Planning Scheme 2015 — decides whether tree clearing needs a development application, and the answer depends on the zone your property is in. Below is what its table of assessment says for each zone; or check your own address.
In a low density residential zone
Accepted if you meet the requirements. Clearing vegetation needs no planning development application only if it is 'exempt vegetation clearing' as the scheme defines it; any other clearing needs a code assessable development application (state vegetation laws apply separately).
I don't know my zone — choose my council instead
The zone is on your rates notice, or a Landbrief site report will find it for you.
Zone by zone
Operational work (vegetation clearing). Residential zones first.
| Zone | What the table says | Conditions | What you'll need |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low density residential zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | if exempt vegetation clearing (defined in Schedule 1)If not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Vegetation management code |
| Medium density residential zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | if exempt vegetation clearing (defined in Schedule 1)If not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Vegetation management code |
| High density residential zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | if exempt vegetation clearing (defined in Schedule 1)If not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Vegetation management code |
| Rural residential zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | if exempt vegetation clearing (defined in Schedule 1)If not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Vegetation management code |
| Emerging community zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | if exempt vegetation clearing (defined in Schedule 1)If not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Vegetation management code |
| Community facilities zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | if exempt vegetation clearing (defined in Schedule 1)If not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Vegetation management code |
| District centre zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | if exempt vegetation clearing (defined in Schedule 1)If not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Vegetation management code |
| Environmental management and conservation zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | if exempt vegetation clearing (defined in Schedule 1)If not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Vegetation management code |
| High impact industry zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | if exempt vegetation clearing (defined in Schedule 1)If not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Vegetation management code |
| Industry zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | if exempt vegetation clearing (defined in Schedule 1)If not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Vegetation management code |
| Limited development zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | if exempt vegetation clearing (defined in Schedule 1)If not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Vegetation management code |
| Local centre zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | if exempt vegetation clearing (defined in Schedule 1)If not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Vegetation management code |
| Major centre zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | if exempt vegetation clearing (defined in Schedule 1)If not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Vegetation management code |
| Neighbourhood centre zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | if exempt vegetation clearing (defined in Schedule 1)If not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Vegetation management code |
| Open space zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | if exempt vegetation clearing (defined in Schedule 1)If not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Vegetation management code |
| Principal centre zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | if exempt vegetation clearing (defined in Schedule 1)If not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Vegetation management code |
| Rural zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | if exempt vegetation clearing (defined in Schedule 1)If not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Vegetation management code |
| Special purpose zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | if exempt vegetation clearing (defined in Schedule 1)If not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Vegetation management code |
| Specialised centre zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | if exempt vegetation clearing (defined in Schedule 1)If not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Vegetation management code |
| Sport and recreation zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | if exempt vegetation clearing (defined in Schedule 1)If not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Vegetation management code |
Overlays that change the answer
The table above is the base case, before any overlay. Flood, bushfire, landslide, heritage and character overlays are the usual reasons a normally-accepted project becomes a development application — add your address above and the tool flags the ones that apply to your lot.
Worth knowing in Bundaberg
Bundaberg Regional Council Planning Scheme 2015 (Version 6.6, effective 31 July 2026), Part 5. A material change of use is impact assessable unless the table says otherwise or the use isn't listed; reconfiguring a lot is code assessable unless Table 5.5.1 says impact (Low density residential, Rural and Rural residential below the minimum lot size; Emerging community and Limited development zones generally); building and operational work are accepted unless the tables say otherwise (section 5.3.2). Accepted development subject to requirements that doesn't meet the nominated acceptable outcomes becomes code assessable (section 5.3.3). A dwelling house includes a secondary dwelling (granny flat); Schedule 6 of the Planning Regulation 2017 can make a dwelling house accepted regardless of these tables. Building work for a dwelling house (sheds, extensions, pools, fences) is accepted subject to the Dwelling house code and Transport and parking code in all zones (Table 5.6.1); a building approval under the Building Act is still needed. Vegetation clearing that isn't 'exempt vegetation clearing' (Schedule 1) is code assessable against the Vegetation management code in every zone (Table 5.7.1); state Vegetation Management Act rules apply separately. Excavation or filling over 50 m³ (or filling over 10 m³ / 150 mm average depth, or excavation deeper than 1 m) is code assessable unless on Rural zoned land for a rural activity. Minimum lot sizes live in Table 9.3.4.3.2 of the Reconfiguring a lot code, which isn't in Part 5. Precincts: Medium density residential MDRZ1 (Bundaberg West medical/health hub) and MDRZ2 (Barolin Street office precinct); Principal centre PCZ2 (City centre riverfront) and PCZ3 (City centre frame); Limited development LDZ1 (Limited residential); District centre rows differ for Childers and Gin Gin; Local centre short-term accommodation/resort rows apply in Bargara. Community facilities zone: a use annotated on the zone map is accepted (footprint unchanged) or code assessable. Special purpose zone: development in the Bundaberg State Development Area is decided by the Coordinator-General and Strategic Port Land by the Port Authority. Local plan: the Bundaberg Health and Enterprise Precinct local plan (Table 5.8.1, Emerging community zone land) overrides the zone — in its Low-Medium Density Residential Precinct a dwelling house, dual occupancy and home based business are accepted subject to requirements and a multiple dwelling of up to three dwellings on a lot of at least 600 m² is accepted subject to requirements (code otherwise); in its Medium-High Density Residential Precinct dual occupancy, home based business and multiple dwelling are code assessable; shops, cafés and offices are accepted subject to requirements or code assessable in the Health and Knowledge Sub-Precincts; reconfiguring a lot is code assessable in its Health and Knowledge, residential and Parkland precincts. Overlays (Table 5.9.1): most overlays only add the overlay code as a benchmark without changing the category (acid sulfate soils, agricultural land, biodiversity areas, bushfire hazard, coastal management district/erosion prone area/setback line, extractive transport route, gas pipeline and electricity buffers, steep land, water resource catchments). Overlays that do change the category are in overlay_triggers: airport operational airspace, public safety area and building restricted area; sea turtle sensitive area (over-height development becomes impact); extractive resource/processing and separation areas; flood hazard (not for a dwelling house); local heritage places and neighbourhood character areas (alterations and demolition become code assessable); and infrastructure buffers (wastewater, waste, road/rail/cane rail corridors). The airport lighting and wildlife hazard buffers make specific uses (putrescible waste, aquaculture, abattoirs, intensive animal industry, showgrounds, constructed waterbodies) code assessable, and excavation or filling in a flood hazard area, gas pipeline buffer or on steep land becomes code assessable. Where premises are in more than one zone, local plan or overlay, the highest category applies to the part affected.
What else you'll need
- State vegetation check (not the council)
More about Bundaberg
- What can you build in Bundaberg? Council overview and development applications
- Every Queensland zone explained, with what each council allows and the planning overlays that change the answer
- What Bundaberg Regional Council charges for a development application, compared with other councils
- A Landbrief site report for your Bundaberg address — every planning layer that applies to the lot
- Development applications in Bargara
- Development applications in Innes Park
- Development applications in Burnett Heads
- Development applications in Branyan
- Development applications in Woodgate
- Development applications in Elliott Heads
- Development applications in Moore Park Beach
- Development applications in Gooburrum
Other projects in Bundaberg
Granny flatDual occupancySubdivideShed or carportExtensionPoolFence or wallHome businessTownhousesShop, café or officeDemolish
The statewide position on this project: Clear trees in Queensland.
Read from the Bundaberg Regional Council Planning Scheme 2015 tables of assessment. General information, not advice. The council's planning scheme and the Planning Act 2016 decide — confirm with the council or a town planner before you build.