Tree Removal Wendouree
Wendouree is often confused with Lake Wendouree, but they’re different suburbs. The lake, the Botanical Gardens and the heritage oaks of Carlton Street are in Lake Wendouree. Wendouree is the larger suburb to the north-west, separated from the lake by a railway line and a main road. It’s mostly post-war and later housing, and its tree questions are about mature trees on suburban blocks, wind and power lines.
This page from Tree Removal Ballarat covers those, plus permits and council trees.
Post-war blocks, decades-old trees
Much of Wendouree grew after the Second World War. The area that became Wendouree West was planned from 1949 as a Housing Commission estate for workers in Ballarat’s post-war industries, on land that had been the Ballarat West Common. It has since been absorbed into Wendouree.
Where trees were planted when those homes were new, they can now be large for a suburban block, with roots near pipes and paths and branches over roofs and service lines. Typical jobs here:
- removing a large tree planted too close to the house decades ago
- pruning branches back off roofs and gutters
- canopy lifting over driveways and footpaths
- grinding out stumps left by earlier removals. See stump removal.
Wind and power lines
Wendouree has had its share of storm damage. In one wild wind event, about 10,000 homes across Ballarat lost power because of trees falling on lines, and 4,000 of those outages were caused by a single fallen tree in Wendouree. A tree also came down across the Daylesford Road exit to the Western Freeway, and Windermere and Margaret Streets in Wendouree were blocked. Victoria’s emergency services commissioner noted at the time that recent wet weather combined with strong wind made trees far more likely to be uprooted.
- never prune or remove branches near power lines yourself
- if a tree or branch is on a line, stay well clear and call Powercor or emergency services
- if your own tree is growing towards the service line to your house, mention it when you ask for a quote. Some work near lines has to be coordinated with Powercor.
- trees that start leaning after heavy rain need checking before the next windy spell
Permits in Wendouree
Wendouree is in the City of Ballarat. Whether you need a permit depends on the tree, so check first if it’s native, listed on the City’s Exceptional Tree Register, or covered by an overlay or a condition on your property’s planning permit. Older mapping also left Wendouree out of the bushfire-prone area, which would mean the 10/30 bushfire clearing exemption doesn’t apply.
Check your address on VicPlan to be sure. See our arborist page for how Ballarat permits work.
Next door at the lake
Lake Wendouree’s trees are council-managed and many are heritage-listed. In one major storm, about 20 trees were lost in the Botanical Gardens and along the western shore, three of them on Ballarat’s significant tree register. If you live near the lake, report fallen or damaged trees on public land to the City of Ballarat. Our Lake Gardens page covers the neighbouring area.
Common questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in my Wendouree backyard?
It depends on the tree. Check whether it’s native, on the Exceptional Tree Register, or covered by an overlay or permit condition. VicPlan shows the overlays on your address.
The street tree outside my house drops branches. Can I prune it?
No. Street trees belong to the City of Ballarat. Report it to council and they’ll assess it.
My tree’s roots are lifting the driveway. Should it come out?
Not always. Sometimes the driveway can be repaired with the roots bridged, and sometimes the tree is too close to save the paving. Have it assessed first. Cutting large roots can destabilise a tree.
What should I send for a quote?
Photos of the tree, a rough height, what’s nearby (the house, fences, power lines), and the width of your side access.
Get a quote in Wendouree
Send photos and your address through the form, or call to talk it through.