We're committed to increasing tree cover across urban areas and townships and will be significantly expanding our tree planting efforts over the coming years.
The City invests in quality nursery stock and best-practice planting techniques to give all new trees the best start possible. Tree planting is carried out over the winter months and all new trees are watered for the first two summers.
Our urban forest team selects the most appropriate species for a location based on local conditions, climate, neighbourhood character and relevant master plans and strategies.
Planting trees on public land without consent from the City isn't permitted. Residents who wish to plant a tree on their nature strip are encouraged to lodge a request for tree planting.
Tree planting program
The 2024 Greening Greater Bendigo tree planting program has started. This year we are planting over 3,000 advanced trees in local streets and parklands throughout the municipality.
This year’s program has been put together from resident requests and from identifying streets in need of canopy cover. All new requests for street trees will now be considered for our 2025 planting program.
2024 tree planting map: Open the map in a new tab
Request a tree
You can request a tree for your street by:
- Contacting Customer Service on phone 1300 002 642
- Completing our Request a street tree form
Your request will be assessed by our team and, if approved, added to our tree planting schedule for planting during the next planting season. While we try to fulfil all tree planting requests as soon as possible, timing of the request and the availability of suitable nursery stock may mean that certain requests are delayed by a season.
All new requests will now be considered as part of the 2025 tree planting program.
Frequently asked questions
After your tree has been planted, the City is responsible for all ongoing maintenance, including watering, for the first two years following planting.
Please do:
- Let us know if your tree is stressed or damaged so we can respond accordingly
- Apply additional water over summer (please no grey water!)
Please do not:
- Prune, re-stake or re-tie the tree. This is the City's responsibility and an inexpert attempt may do more harm than good. Not all trees require tying as this can discourage the tree from developing good form.
- Place grass clippings or mulch around the base of the tree as this can result in its death through a disease called Collar Rot
- Use brush-cutters or whipper-snippers near the base of the tree as this may cause damage or result in the tree becoming "ring barked"
You can find out what trees are being planted where by using our interactive map.
Enter the address and click on the new street tree icon to find out which species will be planted.
Tree planting is carried out by the City in line with our Greening Greater Bendigo strategy.
There are many benefits that trees provide, from cooling the streets to enhancing the aesthetic of a neighbourhood.
The City maintains the position that urban trees will be planted and maintained in nature strips wherever it is deemed suitable.
Tree species have been selected by our qualified arborists on the basis of suitability for a particular area.
Future climate, existing environmental conditions, local character and relevant planning controls have all been considered.
Given that all trees have now been selected and ordered, requests for a change in species at a location are unlikely to be accommodated.
Tree planting occurs during the colder and wetter months of the year to soften the impact on the trees and allow them to benefit from spring growth. It is typically expected that the planting program will commence in late autumn and conclude in early spring each year.
Residents will receive notifications in the mailbox prior to tree planting where a tree is to be planted adjacent their property.
Given the large numbers of trees that are planted as part of the program we are unable to commit to planting a specific location at a given time.
Any new requests for tree planting that are received before the end of February each year will generally be facilitated.
If a tree planting request is made from March onwards, it is unlikely to be included in the upcoming planting season. It will, however, be planted as part of the following year’s planting program.
Whilst we will endeavour to get any tree planting requests attended to promptly, we are limited by the availability of quality nursery stock at that point of the year and budgets which will already have been committed.