Eligibility check included
We confirm whether your property falls within a Vegetation Clearing Entitlement Area before any work begins. No guesswork.
10/50 tree removal Sydney
Clear trees and vegetation around your home without council approval
If your property is in a designated bushfire area, the 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Scheme lets you remove trees within 10 metres of your home and clear vegetation within 50 metres, without waiting for council consent. We check your eligibility, carry out the clearing and leave your property safer and cleaner.
Bushfire clearing done properly
What 10/50 clearing actually involves
The 10/50 scheme gives you the right to clear, but it does not tell you the safest way to do it. Large trees close to your home still need controlled removal. Dense undergrowth on steep blocks still needs the right equipment. Here is what we bring to every 10/50 clearing job.
Trees within 10 metres removed safely
Trees inside the 10-metre zone are removed using the same controlled methods we apply to all large tree work. Sectional dismantling, rigging and ground protection.
Vegetation within 50 metres cleared
Undergrowth, scrub and ground-level vegetation within the 50-metre zone are cleared and processed on site.
Qualified arborists
Our crew holds formal arborist qualifications and understands which trees qualify under the scheme and which do not.
Fully insured
$50 million public liability insurance on every job. No exceptions.
Clean sites
All timber, branches and vegetation processed or removed. Your property is left tidy and safer.
NSW bushfire clearing entitlement
What the 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Scheme allows
The 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Scheme is a NSW government program that allows property owners in designated bushfire-prone areas to clear trees within 10 metres of their home and remove underlying vegetation (not trees) within 50 metres, without council approval. The scheme was introduced to reduce bushfire risk to dwellings by creating defendable space around homes. It is administered by the NSW Rural Fire Service and applies to properties within mapped Vegetation Clearing Entitlement Areas.
Dixons Trees has been carrying out 10/50 clearing work across the Blue Mountains, Penrith, Hawkesbury, Western Sydney and Central Coast since the scheme was introduced. Most of the Blue Mountains falls within a designated Vegetation Clearing Entitlement Area, which means a significant number of properties qualify. We check your eligibility, explain exactly what you can and cannot clear and carry out the work to the scheme’s Code of Practice requirements.
Two zones, two types of clearing
What can you clear under 10/50?
The scheme has specific rules about what you can clear and where. Getting it wrong can result in fines. Here is how the two zones work.
10-metre zone: trees and vegetation
Within 10 metres of an external wall of your home, you can remove trees and all other vegetation. This is the zone where most of our 10/50 tree removal work happens. Large eucalypts, dense wattles and other trees growing close to the dwelling can be removed without council consent. All vegetation, including shrubs, groundcover and leaf litter, can also be cleared.
50-metre zone: vegetation only
Between 10 and 50 metres from your home, you can remove vegetation but not trees. Vegetation includes shrubs, scrub, undergrowth and ground-level plants. Trees within this zone cannot be removed under the 10/50 scheme. If trees in the 50-metre zone need removing, a separate council application or development consent is required.
What counts as a dwelling
The scheme applies to the clearing of land around a “dwelling,” which is a building used for residential purposes. This includes your house and any attached structures. Detached sheds, garages and other outbuildings generally do not qualify as dwellings for the purpose of 10/50 clearing. We clarify this during the assessment.
Excluded trees and vegetation
Some trees and vegetation are excluded from 10/50 clearing even within the eligible zones. The scheme’s Code of Practice prohibits clearing that would affect threatened species habitat, Aboriginal heritage sites or land subject to a property vegetation plan. Mangroves and vegetation on land within a coastal wetland are also excluded. We identify any exclusions during the site assessment so you know exactly what can and cannot be cleared.
Properties that qualify
Your property must be within a mapped Vegetation Clearing Entitlement Area to use the 10/50 scheme. The NSW RFS maintains an online tool where you can check your address. Most of the Blue Mountains, large parts of the Hawkesbury and many areas of Western Sydney are within designated zones. We check your eligibility as the first step before quoting any work.
Code of Practice requirements
All 10/50 clearing must follow the NSW Rural Fire Service Code of Practice for the scheme. This includes requirements around how clearing is carried out, erosion control on slopes and the treatment of cleared material. We carry out all clearing in accordance with the Code of Practice.
Blue Mountains bushfire clearing specialists
We clear your property properly so you do not have to work it out yourself
The 10/50 scheme sounds straightforward on paper, but in practice it raises questions. Which trees are inside 10 metres and which are just outside? Does your shed count as a dwelling? What about the tree that is half in and half out of the zone? That is where having qualified arborists on site makes a difference.
Most of the 10/50 work we do is on established Blue Mountains properties where large eucalypts have grown close to homes over decades. The blocks are steep, the vegetation is dense and the trees are often bigger than people expect. We bring the right equipment, check what qualifies under the scheme and carry out the clearing safely.
If trees outside the 10-metre zone also need attention, we will let you know what requires council approval and help you through that process separately. We do not clear anything that falls outside the scheme’s entitlements.
Eligibility check for every property before work begins
Qualified arborists for safe tree removal within the 10-metre zone
Vegetation clearing within the 50-metre zone
Commercial chippers for on-site waste processing
Stump grinding included or quoted as an option
$50 million public liability insurance
Clearing carried out to RFS Code of Practice requirements
Advice on trees outside the 10/50 entitlement that may need council approval
Coordination with broader land clearing or tree removal projects
From eligibility check to cleared property
How 10/50 tree removal works
Get in touch
Tell us your address and what you are looking to clear. We will check the RFS mapping tool to confirm your property is in a Vegetation Clearing Entitlement Area before we visit.
We assess the property
Our arborists walk your property, identify which trees fall within the 10-metre zone and which vegetation is within the 50-metre zone. We explain what you can clear under the scheme and flag anything that falls outside it.
You get a clear quote
A detailed, obligation-free quote covering all tree removal, vegetation clearing, stump grinding, on-site chipping and clean-up. Everything itemised so you can see what is included.
We clear and process
Our crew removes trees within the 10-metre zone using controlled methods, clears vegetation in the 50-metre zone, chips all waste on site and leaves your property clean and safer.
15+ years of experience
About Dixons Trees
Dixons Trees has been NSW’s trusted tree services provider since 2009. Our qualified arborists handle everything from complex removals in tight spaces to routine pruning and maintenance.
We do commercial land clearing, backyard tree work and everything in between. All of it completed to Australian Standards, fully insured and council-compliant.
Who we work with
Valued partners
Councils, developers, builders and commercial property managers across the Blue Mountains, Western Sydney and the Central Coast.
Straight from Google
What our customers say
Want to clear vegetation around your home under 10/50?
Tell us your address and what you are dealing with, and we will check your eligibility and arrange a site visit. You will get a detailed quote with no obligation, and if you are ready to go ahead, we can typically schedule the work within 1–2 weeks.
If you have trees outside the 10-metre zone that also need attention, we will advise on the council approval process during the same visit.
17+ years experience · 300+ Google Reviews · 10,000+ jobs completed
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
The 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Scheme is a NSW government program that allows property owners in designated bushfire-prone areas to clear trees within 10 metres of their home and remove underlying vegetation within 50 metres, without council approval. It is designed to reduce bushfire risk by creating defendable space around dwellings. Most of the Blue Mountains falls within an eligible area.
Your property must be within a mapped Vegetation Clearing Entitlement Area. The NSW Rural Fire Service provides an online tool where you can check your address. We also check eligibility as the first step in every 10/50 assessment, so you will know before we quote any work.
It depends on the number and size of trees within the 10-metre zone, the density of vegetation in the 50-metre zone, site access and terrain. A few small trees on a flat block is a different scope to large eucalypts on a steep hillside. We provide a detailed quote after an on-site assessment so you understand the full cost before any work begins. Contact us for a free assessment.
You can remove most trees within 10 metres of an external wall of your dwelling, but there are exclusions. Trees in areas containing threatened species habitat, Aboriginal heritage sites or land subject to a property vegetation plan may not be cleared. Mangroves and vegetation within coastal wetlands are also excluded. We identify any exclusions during the site assessment.
No. The 10/50 scheme only allows removal of underlying vegetation (shrubs, scrub, groundcover) in the zone between 10 and 50 metres from your dwelling. Trees in this zone cannot be removed under the scheme. If trees in the 50-metre zone need removing, a separate council application is required. We can advise on that process.
The scheme does not require you to notify council or the RFS before clearing, provided you follow the Code of Practice. However, we recommend having a professional assessment to confirm what qualifies under the scheme. Clearing trees or vegetation that falls outside the entitlement can result in fines. We ensure all clearing stays within the scheme’s rules.
All branches and vegetation are chipped on site using our commercial equipment. Timber from larger trees is cut into manageable rounds and left for you, or removed entirely. Stump grinding is included or quoted as an option. We discuss your preference before starting and leave your property clean.
They overlap but are not identical. The 10/50 scheme provides a legal entitlement to clear without council approval in designated areas. An asset protection zone (APZ) is a requirement under the NSW Planning for Bush Fire Protection guidelines, typically applied to new developments through the DA process. If you need APZ clearing as part of a development, different rules and documentation may apply. We handle both and can advise on which applies to your situation.
View More
Blue Mountains and surrounds
Areas We Service
Professional tree services across the Blue Mountains, Western Sydney and the Hawkesbury.