Many homes on the Central Coast and in Hornsby Shire are close to bushland. The NSW Rural Fire Service 10/50 scheme lets eligible owners clear some vegetation around their home for bushfire protection without council approval. It is useful, but it has firm limits.
What the scheme allows
If your property is in a designated 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Entitlement Area, you can:
- clear trees within 10 metres of an external wall of a building with habitable rooms, such as your house
- clear underlying vegetation such as shrubs, but not trees, within 50 metres of that building
Since 2015, clearing near farm sheds is also covered. Garages and other buildings without habitable rooms do not count.
Check your eligibility first
Use the online 10/50 tool on the NSW RFS website to check whether your property is in an entitlement area. Check again right before you clear, because the mapped area, the excluded matters and the rules can change, and you must follow the rules in place at the time you clear.
Limits that still apply
- All clearing must follow the 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Code of Practice
- Clearing is not allowed within 10 metres of a river at least 2 metres wide or within 10 metres of a lake
- The Code lists exclusions for certain vegetation and site conditions
- The scheme is about bushfire protection. It does not cover trees outside the 10 metre zone, which still need council approval unless another exemption applies
Measure carefully
For trees, the trunk is what must be within 10 metres of the wall. Some councils describe this as measured at 1.3 metres above ground. If a tree is near the edge of the zone, get it measured before you cut.
How we help
We can measure trees against the 10 metre zone, explain what the Code allows on your property and carry out the work safely, including sectional removal over the house and stump grinding. If a tree is outside the scheme, we can advise on council approval and prepare an arborist report. See also our guides to Central Coast Council rules and Hornsby Shire Council rules.