Tree Removal Clunes
Clunes sits in the valley of Creswick Creek, and the creek shapes a lot of local tree work. It floods quickly, it has been choked by vegetation before, and the town’s parklands and heritage streets run along its banks. Clunes is also in the Hepburn Shire, so Hepburn’s planning rules apply, not Ballarat’s.
Tree Removal Ballarat put this page together to cover the creek, storms and Hepburn’s rules for Clunes properties.
Creswick Creek, floods and trees
Creswick Creek is prone to flash flooding, when heavy rain over a short period overwhelms it and spills into parts of the town. Clunes flooded in September 2010 and again in January 2011, when the creek reached 6.39 metres at the Clunes gauge and water got into about 35 homes and businesses.
Trees came into that story directly. After the floods, residents blamed suckers and growth in the creek for blocking the flow. The North Central Catchment Management Authority received funding to remove debris and exotic vegetation from the creek. Its modelling suggested those works would lower flood levels by about 250 mm in a repeat of 2011, though not prevent flooding.
- don’t cut or clear vegetation in the creek bed or on the banks yourself. Works on waterways are managed with the catchment authority and council, and may need approval.
- report blockages and flood debris to the North Central CMA
- after a flood, have trees on saturated or scoured ground checked before anyone works under them
Storms
Clunes doesn’t need a flood to lose trees. A severe thunderstorm on 5 January 2022 caused widespread damage in the Hepburn Shire, particularly in and around Creswick and Clunes, with crews clearing fallen trees from roads and power lines. Council offered free drop-off of storm green waste for Creswick and Clunes residents afterwards. That’s worth knowing if it happens again.
Large trees on wet ground near the house or driveway are the ones to look at before winter. See our arborist page for what an assessment involves.
Heritage streets and Hepburn’s rules
The Clunes Central Conservation Area, about four blocks south of Creswick Creek including Fraser Street and the old government buildings, has been recognised since 1981. The town also has a botanic gardens and trees planted along the creek.
In the Hepburn Shire, some heritage overlays carry tree controls. Where they do, a permit is needed to remove, destroy or lop a tree, with exemptions such as keeping a tree clear of power lines or removing one that’s an immediate risk to people or property. There are also exemptions for trees close to fence lines and within 10 m of an older house for bushfire protection. Check your address on VicPlan and the heritage overlay schedule, or ask Hepburn Shire’s planning team, before booking work.
Native vegetation rules apply throughout the shire. For clearing on rural blocks around Clunes, see land clearing.
Nearby areas
Creswick, upstream on the same creek, shares much of Clunes’ flood history and is also in the Hepburn Shire. To the north, Talbot is in a different shire.
Common questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Clunes?
It depends on your property. A heritage overlay with tree controls, native vegetation rules or other overlays can all require one. Hepburn Shire’s planning team can confirm, and VicPlan shows the overlays on your address.
Can I remove willows or other growth along the creek behind my house?
Talk to the North Central CMA and council first. Creek works are coordinated by them, and uncoordinated clearing can cause erosion or move a blockage downstream.
A tree is leaning after heavy rain. Is it dangerous?
A tree that has started to lean, or has cracked or lifted soil on one side, after rain needs checking soon. Keep people and cars out from under it until it has been looked at.
What should I send for a quote?
Photos of the tree, a rough height, how close it is to the creek, the house and power lines, and whether you know of a heritage overlay on your property.
Get a quote in Clunes
Send photos and your address through the form, or call to talk it through.