Land Clearing Newcastle

Land Clearing in Newcastle and the Hunter

Land clearing is the removal of trees, stumps, scrub and undergrowth from a block so it is ready to build on, subdivide or use. Waratah Professional Tree Care clears blocks across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Cessnock, Port Stephens and the wider Hunter. We remove the trees, grind the stumps, clear and mulch the scrub, and take the green waste away, so you are left with a clean site that is ready for the next stage of work.
 
Because we are qualified arborists who have worked in the region since 1998, we also check which trees on the block can be removed and which ones council protects before any clearing starts.

What Our Land Clearing Service Includes

Some clearing quotes only cover cutting the trees down. That leaves stumps in the ground and piles of green waste on the block, which you then need someone else to deal with. Our land clearing covers the whole block:

You deal with one team and one quote for tree removal, stump grinding, scrub clearing and green waste, instead of organising separate contractors for each part of the block.

Block Clearing and Lot Clearing Before You Build

If you have bought a vacant lot or are preparing a block for a new home, subdivision or extension, we clear it to the boundaries that matter for the build. We identify protected trees before any machinery arrives, clear the trees and vegetation that need to go, grind the stumps and leave the lot ready for building work to begin.

Where trees on the block are being kept, we can protect them during construction in line with AS 4970-2009, the Australian Standard for the protection of trees on development sites.

Site Clearing for Builders, Developers and Commercial Properties

We clear development sites for builders and developers before construction starts, and we plan the clearing around the construction timeline so it fits in with the other trades on site. We also help commercial properties remove old, overgrown landscaping that is blocking access or spoiling the look of a building, and we leave the area cleared and level.

Acreage, Bushfire Fuel and Easement Clearing

On larger rural-residential blocks around Maitland, Cessnock and the edge of the Watagans, scrub and bushfire fuel build up over time. We clear access tracks, reduce the fuel load and open up overgrown parts of the block. We also clear stormwater easements, driveways and access tracks that have grown over.

Council Approval and the Rules for Clearing Land in NSW

In NSW you cannot always clear everything on a block. Some trees are protected by the local council, and Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Maitland councils each have their own tree controls. Native vegetation, wetlands and threatened species are covered by separate rules.
 
City of Newcastle, for example, has an online application for approval to remove trees or clear vegetation on private land. It also notes that when tree removal is part of a proposed development, the removal is assessed as part of the development application rather than through that separate form.
 
There are also rules that can work in your favour. If your block is in a designated NSW Rural Fire Service 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Entitlement Area, you can clear trees within 10 metres of your home, and shrubs and other underlying vegetation within 50 metres, without seeking approval. The RFS has an online tool to check whether your address is in an entitlement area.
 
We look at your block before quoting and explain what can come out, what is likely to need council approval and what may be exempt. If a tree needs an application, we will point you to what council requires.

What Affects the Cost of Land Clearing

Every block is different, so we quote land clearing on what is actually on the site rather than a flat rate. The main things that affect the price are:

• the size of the block and how dense the vegetation is
• the size and number of trees
• how many stumps need grinding
• access, including whether machinery can get in or the block needs to be cleared by hand
• the slope and ground conditions
• how much green waste needs to be taken off site

Why Use a Qualified Arborist for Land Clearing

An arborist-led crew looks at the block before cutting starts. We check which trees are protected, which trees are unstable and need to come down a particular way, which trees are worth keeping for the finished site, and how to clear the block without churning it into mud. Waratah Professional Tree Care is certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001, and we are fully insured.

Call 0414 706 653 or get in touch online to book an appointment.