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Spotted Gum

Corymbia maculata · Myrtaceae
45m
Mature height
0
Councils: no permit needed
0
Councils: exempt under a height limit
20
Councils: permit required
Spotted Gum (Corymbia maculata) growing in Sydney
Spotted Gum · typical mature form

Do you need a permit?

Spotted Gum 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

Smooth bark shed in patches, leaving a dappled cream, grey and pink mottled trunk that is unmistakable. The trunk is typically straight and clean for much of its height. Leaves are long, narrow and slightly curved. Cream flowers appear in clusters of three from autumn through winter.

Where it grows in Sydney

Widely planted as a street and park tree across the North Shore, Ryde and the Hills District, and naturally occurring on shale soils. Common in Chatswood, Gordon, Eastwood, Marsfield and Castle Hill.

Common problems

  • Very tall with a narrow crown that can develop heavy end weight
  • Shed bark creates ongoing litter
  • Branch unions can carry included bark that leads to failure
  • Surface roots lift paving and kerbs on street plantings

What removal involves

Straight clean trunks make sectional dismantling efficient, but the height means rigging is needed near structures. Commonly a street tree, so confirm ownership before quoting, since council owned trees need a separate application from Council’s own tree team rather than a private tree permit.

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
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. 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
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 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
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. 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

Frequently asked questions

Is Spotted Gum protected?

Yes. It is a native species and is not listed as exempt in any of the councils covered here, so a tree permit is required once it passes the council’s size threshold.

The Spotted Gum is on the nature strip. Who is responsible?

Nature strip and verge trees are council owned in every LGA on this list. You cannot prune or remove them under a private tree permit, and unauthorised work on a public tree carries significant penalties.

Commonly confused with

Lemon-Scented Gum
Both Corymbia with smooth mottled trunks. Crush a leaf: Lemon-Scented smells strongly of citronella

Related species

Lemon-Scented Gum (Corymbia citriodora) growing in Sydney
Lemon-Scented Gum
Corymbia citriodora
Red Bloodwood (Corymbia gummifera) growing in Sydney
Red Bloodwood
Corymbia gummifera
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 John Robert McPherson via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Quick facts

Botanical name
Corymbia maculata
Also known as
Corymbia citriodora is a close relative
Family
Myrtaceae
Origin
Native to coastal NSW and southern Queensland
Mature height
25m to 45m
Canopy spread
15m to 20m
Growth rate
Fast
Foliage
Evergreen, long and narrow
Typical lifespan
150 years plus
Root habit
Deep tap root with strong laterals
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Need council approval? We handle the application.

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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