Request a Street Tree

Benefits of trees

Trees are an important part of any City and provide various benefits. Trees may increase property values, reduce heat in our suburbs and promote well-being. Trees clean the air, create natural screens and provide habitat. They also act as wind and noise buffers and reduce the need for artificial cooling in adjacent buildings.

Street trees for residents

A street tree is a tree the City takes care of that's growing in the area within a road reserve, verge, or median strip. The portion of a road reserve that adjoins a lot or reserve and is bounded by the road is referred to as the ‘nature strip’ or ‘verge’. 

The City supplies street trees of 35L-90L container size for resident's verges, covering the cost of purchasing, planting and future pruning. The City will water the tree for the first three years, although residents are encouraged to supplement these waterings and inform the City if they have irrigation as this will allow us to reduce watering.

Request a street tree

Street tree planting requests have now closed for the 2025 planting season. You can request a tree for the 2026 planting season from 1 August 2025.

What tree species can I choose?

The type of tree species received depends on:

• Where the resident lives (zone), as different species are suited to different environments
• Width of the verge
• Overhead power lines 
• Context of where the tree is likely to be planted.   

The City aims for a diverse mix of tree species to help resilience against pests. While many native trees are planted in Cockburn, there is a limited range of suitable trees due to the smaller lot sizes in current developments.

Native trees, typically large evergreens with invasive roots, may not be suitable for smaller verges. As a result, smaller, non-native deciduous trees are often preferred. These trees shed their leaves in winter, allowing sunlight to warm homes and brighten interiors during the colder months. View the list of street tree species in the table below.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has identified several tree species as reproductive hosts for the Polyphagous Shot-Hole Borer (PSHB). In response, the City is proactively managing the spread and potential tree loss by removing these identified species listed in the table below.

Please note that this list may be updated in the future as the City receives new information regarding PSHB control measures. 

When will my verge tree be planted?

Once the tree species has been decided, the City adds it to its seasonal tree order which is submitted to the nursery approximately 12 months before the planting season. Most residential verge trees are planted from May to October each year. Depending on when you request a tree, it can take between one to 12 months for it to be planted on your verge. 
 

More information and contact