Clearing trees in Mackay — do you need approval?
Mackay Regional Council's planning scheme — the Mackay Region Planning Scheme 2017 — 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
No planning approval needed. The operational work table doesn't list clearing native vegetation, so under its 'any other operational work' row the planning scheme needs no development application for it; state vegetation clearing rules still 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 | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| Medium density residential zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| High density residential zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| Rural residential zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| Township zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| Emerging community zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| Community facilities zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| Conservation zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| District centre zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| High impact industry zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| Industry investigation zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| Local centre zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| Low impact industry zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| Major centre zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| Mixed use zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| Neighbourhood centre zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| Open space zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| Principal centre zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| Rural zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| Special purpose zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| Specialised centre zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| Sport and recreation zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
| Tourism zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.8.1 | vegetation clearing not listed in Table 5.8.1 ('any other operational work not listed' row = accepted) | State vegetation check (not the council) |
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 Mackay
Mackay Region Planning Scheme 2017 (Version 5.0), Part 5, converted from the council PDF. A material change of use is impact assessable unless the table says otherwise or the use isn't listed (section 5.3.2(1)); reconfiguring a lot is code assessable in every zone (Table 5.6.1); building work and operational work are accepted unless the tables say otherwise (section 5.3.2(3)). There is no building work table for zones (section 5.7): building work is only regulated through the Airport environs, Heritage and neighbourhood character and Flood risk (Finch Hatton) overlays, so a shed, extension, pool, fence or demolition needs no planning development application elsewhere — a building approval under the Building Act is still needed. Accepted development subject to requirements that doesn't meet the nominated acceptable outcomes becomes code assessable (section 5.3.3(2)). A dwelling house includes a secondary dwelling (granny flat); it is accepted (no requirements) in the Emerging community, High, Medium and Low density residential and Township zones, accepted subject to the Dwelling house code in the Rural and Rural residential zones, limited to precincts in the Mixed use (MX2), Specialised centre (SC2) and Neighbourhood centre (code in Finch Hatton) zones, and impact assessable elsewhere. Dual occupancy is not listed in the High density residential, Rural or Rural residential zones, so it is impact assessable there. 'Centre activities' and 'Multiple dwelling activities' are defined activity groups (Schedule 1) — shop, office and food and drink outlet are centre activities; dual occupancy is treated here as a multiple dwelling activity where only the group is listed (Emerging community, Township, Bushfire hazard overlay). Precincts vary uses in several zones (e.g. Medium density residential MD1/MD2, Mixed use Fringe commercial MX2, Specialised centre SC1/SC2, High impact industry sugar mill HI1). Local plans: the Mackay city centre local plan (Table 5.9.1) makes many uses impact assessable in the education mixed use (CC3), exhibition/events (CC4) and civic (CC5) precincts — including multiple dwellings, and shops/offices in CC4/CC5 — and adds its local plan code; the Marian central local plan (Table 5.9.2) adds its code without changing categories. Where premises are in more than one zone, local plan or overlay the highest category applies to the part affected, but a local plan category overrides a zone and an overlay overrides both (section 5.3.2(8)–(9)). Schedule 6 of the Planning Regulation 2017 overrides the scheme (e.g. community residence, Schedule 12 one-into-two lot subdivisions). Part 5 states no minimum lot sizes — they sit in the zone and Reconfiguring a lot codes. Operational work: excavation or filling over 20 m³ or 200 mm deep is code assessable in key urban areas and the Township zone (other thresholds in Rural residential and rural zones); the scheme does not list vegetation clearing, and state Vegetation Management Act rules apply separately.
What else you'll need
- State vegetation check (not the council)
More about Mackay
- What can you build in Mackay? Council overview and development applications
- Every Queensland zone explained, with what each council allows and the planning overlays that change the answer
- What Mackay Regional Council charges for a development application, compared with other councils
- A Landbrief site report for your Mackay address — every planning layer that applies to the lot
- Development applications in Paget
- Development applications in Sarina
- Development applications in Rural View
- Development applications in South Mackay
- Development applications in East Mackay
- Development applications in Bakers Creek
- Development applications in Andergrove
- Development applications in Mackay
Other projects in Mackay
Granny flatDual occupancySubdivideShed or carportExtensionPoolFence or wallHome businessTownhousesShop, café or officeDemolish
The statewide position on this project: Clear trees in Queensland.
Read from the Mackay Region Planning Scheme 2017 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.