Chipping and Mulching

Council offers a free chipping and mulching service for local residents. We will come to you and your pruned branches will be chipped and bagged at your nature strip and returned to you to use as mulch in your garden.

Why take advantage of the Chipping and Mulching Service?

• It’s free
• Mulch stops the top of the soil drying out and conserves water
• Mulching also prevents weeds and weed seed germination
• Mulching also keeps the soil temperature constant
• Using an organic mulch means you’re adding extra organic matter to the soil. So that's an added benefit.

When is it available?

• Tuesdays
• Maximum of six services per year per residence
• There must be a 3 to 4 week break between your chipping and mulching services
• Bookings essential

What to do

• Prior to pruning, book the service by calling Council's Customer Service on 9952 8222.
• Leave the green waste material on the nature strip one day before your booked collection date (no earlier and no later):
  • branches should be no longer than 2 metres in length
  • stack with large end of branches facing the gutter.
• The truck will chip material on site and leave the mulch for collection and distribution (the removal of chip material does not form part of this service).  

Restrictions

• Failure to comply with the conditions of the Chipping & Mulching service may result in Council rejecting your items. Serious non compliance may result in a clean up notice or fine. 
• Maximum Load size - 2 box trailer loads (approx 3 cubic metres; when mulched, this equates to no more than 10 bags of chip material).
• Tree/shrub limbs and trunks must be no more than 15cm / 6 inches diameter.
• The following vegetation will not be accepted as they may damage or contaminate the chipper:
  • vines, succulents (cactus, banana palm), thorns (rose bushes, bouginvillea), tree stumps, piles of leaves, palm fronds/trunks or tree fern fronds/trunks, fence palings or structural timbers, coral trees (Erthyrina Sykesii), lantana, bamboo or other noxious weeds such as oleander.
• Residents need to (where possible) have at least a 5m clearance to access to material on the nature strip for ease of collection.
• Service may not be available on NSW State Roads due to stopping restrictions - please check when making your booking.
• Bushes and trees on nature strips are not chipped as part of this program. They require Council inspection and will be trimmed as required by Council. If you wish to report a tree on the nature strip which is overhanging, dying or causing traffic visibility issues, please contact Customer Service on 9952 8222 Monday to Friday 8am to 5.30pm.

Please Note: All trees over 5 metres need Council approval before being trimmed. See our Trees page for further details.