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Silky Oak

Grevillea robusta · Proteaceae
25m
Mature height
1
Councils: no permit needed
2
Councils: exempt under a height limit
17
Councils: permit required
Silky Oak (Grevillea robusta) growing in Sydney
Silky Oak · typical mature form

Do you need a permit?

Silky Oak is a protected tree in effectively every council Pro Climbing Tree Services covers. Expect to need a tree permit, or a development application where the property is heritage listed or in a heritage conservation area.

How to identify it

Fern like divided leaves with a silvery grey underside, on a tall upright tree. Spectacular golden orange toothbrush flowers in late spring. Bark is dark and furrowed.

Where it grows in Sydney

Planted widely across Sydney from the mid twentieth century, common in Lane Cove, Ryde, Hornsby Shire, Georges River and the North Shore.

Common problems

  • Very brittle limbs with a high storm failure rate
  • Sawdust and flowers cause skin irritation and respiratory reactions in some people
  • Heavy flower and leaf drop
  • Frequently outgrows the garden it was planted in

What removal involves

Exempt on the Northern Beaches at any size, in Lane Cove under 6m and Georges River under 6m, and protected elsewhere on this list. Crews often react to the sawdust, so it is worth flagging to the client that dust control matters on this species.

Council permit rules, council by council

Status below is for a tree on private land that has passed the council’s size threshold. Heritage items, heritage conservation areas, significant tree registers, biodiversity mapping and conditions of development consent override every exemption shown here.
Council
Status
What it means
Northern Beaches
No permit needed
On Council's exempt species list, so no permit is required for removal. Heritage items, heritage conservation areas and significant tree register listings still override the exemption. Official rules
Ku-ring-gai
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Hornsby Shire
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
The Hills Shire
Confirm with Council
Council holds its species exemptions in a document rather than on its website, so confirm this species with Council before treating removal as exempt. Size thresholds apply in the meantime. Official rules
Blacktown City
Permit required
Council does not run a species exemption list. A permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold, and each tree is assessed on its own merits. Official rules
North Sydney
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Willoughby
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Lane Cove
Exempt under 6m
Exempt only below 6m in height. At or above that size a tree permit is required. Heritage listings override the exemption. Official rules
City of Ryde
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Hunters Hill
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
City of Sydney
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Inner West
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Woollahra
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Waverley
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Randwick
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Bayside
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Georges River
Exempt under 6m
Exempt only below 6m in height. At or above that size a tree permit is required. Heritage listings override the exemption. Official rules
Strathfield
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Burwood
Confirm with Council
Council holds its species exemptions in a document rather than on its website, so confirm this species with Council before treating removal as exempt. Size thresholds apply in the meantime. Official rules
Canterbury-Bankstown
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Is Silky Oak a native, and does that make it protected?

It is native to northern NSW and Queensland rather than Sydney, which is why several councils list it as exempt. Northern Beaches exempts it outright, Lane Cove and Georges River exempt it under 6m.

Commonly confused with

Jacaranda
Both have finely divided foliage and a spectacular flowering. Silky Oak is orange in spring, Jacaranda purple

Related species

Coastal Banksia (Banksia integrifolia) growing in Sydney
Coastal Banksia
Banksia integrifolia
Old Man Banksia (Banksia serrata) growing in Sydney
Old Man Banksia
Banksia serrata
Bangalow Palm (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana) growing in Sydney
Bangalow Palm
Archontophoenix cunninghamiana
Blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis) growing in Sydney
Blackbutt
Eucalyptus pilularis

Important note on council rules

This encyclopedia is a practical guide for Sydney property owners, not legal advice. Council tree rules change, and exemptions are frequently overridden by heritage listings, heritage conservation areas, significant tree registers, biodiversity mapping, endangered ecological communities and conditions attached to development consent. Always confirm the current rules with your council for your specific address before any tree work begins, or ask us to check it for you.
Photo by Haoreima via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Quick facts

Botanical name
Grevillea robusta
Also known as
Southern Silky Oak
Family
Proteaceae
Origin
Native to northern NSW and Queensland, planted in Sydney
Mature height
15m to 25m
Canopy spread
8m to 12m
Growth rate
Fast
Foliage
Evergreen, fern like, silvery underside
Typical lifespan
80 years plus
Root habit
Moderate to aggressive
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Most councils will not accept a removal application without species identification, photographs and a stated reason. We prepare and lodge the lot, then carry out the work once it is approved. One call, one invoice, no forms to work out yourself.
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