Removal of pest tree species

Residents are permitted to remove a tree if it is one of the pest species listed below and has been identified by an AQF Level 3 Arborist. For information on hiring a qualified and insured tree contractor in your area, the City of Gold Coast and the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) recommend you contact the Queensland Arboricultural Association.

Before undertaking vegetation clearing, landholders are advised to review any state and federal government vegetation clearing requirements.

Cocos palm, also known as Queen palm

(syagrus romanzofffiana)

This fast-growing tree:

• can be up to 21 metres
• has a sturdy ridged trunk
• has green leaves to 4.5 metres long with long, strappy leaflets radiating from the central leaf stem
• has small and inconspicuous flowers and a fleshy orange berry up to 2.5 centimetres long.

Coral tree

(erythrina indica/e.crista galli and erythrina x sykesii)

This thorny deciduous tree has:

• bright red flowers
• the ability to spread by suckering or from broken off pieces (the wood is soft) of trunk or branches
• leaves that bright green, consisting of three large leaflets, the central one on a longer stalk.

Cadaghi

(corymbia torelliana)

This evergreen tree from North Queensland:

• grows to 30 metres
• has a stocking trunk of grey scaly bark at the base, smooth pale green bark above
• has masses of scented, cream-coloured ball flowers
• has almost round, woody capsule fruit with many tiny seeds.

Slash pine

(pinus elliotii)

This evergreen, resinous and aromatic tree

• grows to 50 metres
• has leaves 20 to 30 centimetres long, needle-like in bundles
• has flowers in separate male and female cones
• has female cones that open to release dark seeds with wings 2 to 3 centimetres long.

Umbrella tree

(schefflera actinophylla)

This multi-stemmed tree:

• grows up to 10 metres
• has compound leaves with stalks up to 40 centimetres long
• has leaflets arranged umbrella-like (palmately), up to 30 centimetres long
• has small red flowers in sprays held above the foliage
• has dark red fruit to 0.5 centimetres long with a single seed.