Bourke Shire Council's vision is for a clean, green town. Trees provide the "green" for our town. Trees make the place more attractive, they provide shade and privacy, reduce air pollution, and bring birds into the area.
Council operates under a Tree Preservation Order or TPO. The purpose of the TPO is to protect, conserve and improve the environment of our town by ensuring that no trees are wilfully injured, removed or destroyed without the prior approval of Council.
In many circumstances the unwanted effects of the tree can be eliminated or significantly reduced by appropriate pruning. Correct pruning requires knowledge of tree growth, risk of damage and infection and requires expert guidance. In all cases attempts must be made to maintain the natural shape of the tree.
What does this mean?
If you want to cut down or trim a tree first you need to get approval from Council. Permission will only be granted for the removal of trees if there is:
•Risk of personal injury;
•Risk of damage to buildings, structures or service lines;
•Creation of a traffic hazard by obstruction of vision; and
•Other circumstances where it is evident that the adverse impact of the tree clearly outweighs its contribution to the amenity of the locality, i.e. the tree is diseased, dead, dying, or unhealthy.  

Land to which the TPO applies

The TPO applies to the following zones provided for in the Draft Bourke Local Environmental Plan 1997 or land areas throughout the Bourke Shire Council area:
Zone 2(t) - Township Zone
Zone 1(c) - Rural Smallholdings Zone
Zone 2(v) - Village Settlement Zone
Zone 3(c) - Local Business Zone
Zone 4(a) - Local Industry Zone
Zone 5(a) - Special uses zone
Land within 200 metres of the 2(t), 1(c), 2(v), 3(c), 4(a), and 5(a) Zones. 

When is approval not required?

Minor pruning of trees or removal for the following purposes does not require Council Approval:
•Removal of dead tree(s) or branches. Trees, which are apparently dying and suffering some form of stress, should not be removed without seeking the advice of Council's Environmental Services Department. Appropriate treatment may return the plant to a state of health.
•Pruning for ornamental purposes where such pruning is a normal accepted practice.
•Removal of noxious or undesirable trees or shrubs which include: Camphor Laurel, Willow Trees and Poplars .

Does the TPO apply to all trees?

The TPO applies to all trees over 3 metres tall in Bourke (excluding trees declared as noxious such as Camphor Laurel or Willow Trees).
You can be prosecuted if you damage or remove a tree without applying first to Council and penalties can be substantial.
Under the provision of this TPO Council approval is required for the removal, ringbarking, lopping, topping or injuring of any trees with a height of 3 metres or greater or which have crown spreads of 3 metres or more within the identified zones throughout the Bourke Local Government Area.   Applications forms can be downloaded from this site, or collected at Council's offices at 29 Mitchell Street Bourke

Full Tree Preservation order document can be downloaded in .pdf format below:

Tree Preservation Order