One LGA, three completely different tree problems
The Shoalhaven covers everything from the Kangaroo Valley escarpment to the open beaches at Culburra and Mollymook. A spotted gum on the Bomaderry ridgeline, a bangalay behind the dunes at Callala Bay, and a camphor-shaded street tree in Berry are three separate engineering problems in three separate soils. Grouping the region by geography rather than alphabetically is the only way this list is any use to you.
Call (02) 4400 9336 for a quote in any town below.
The river towns: Nowra, Bomaderry, Worrigee, Nowra Hill
The Shoalhaven River corridor is where most of the region's people live, and where the deepest, wettest soils sit. Alluvial river flats hold water for days after heavy rain, and that is precisely when a big tree lets go at the roots rather than the trunk. This is also where the biggest storm-call volume lands — around 110 of the Shoalhaven's roughly 260 SES calls after the August 2024 windstorm came from Nowra alone.
Nowra
Established streets on the south bank, tall eucalypts backing onto the bush along Ben's Walk and the river escarpment, and plenty of mature trees planted far too close to 1970s houses. Common work: tree removal, tree lopping to pull crowns back off roofs, and emergency & storm tree work.
Bomaderry
The northern side of the bridge, backing onto the sandstone country of Bomaderry Creek Regional Park. Spotted gum and red bloodwood run right up to the fence lines here. Tree pruning and deadwooding, plus mulching & green waste removal after a blow.
Worrigee
Newer estates with young landscaping alongside retained mature natives. Retained trees on freshly cleared lots are notorious for failing — they grew up sheltered inside a stand and suddenly stand alone in the wind. Tree removal and stump grinding are the regulars.
Nowra Hill
Larger rural-residential blocks, more bushfire exposure, more standing deadwood. Land & block clearing and asset protection work around dwellings.
The Bay and Basin: Huskisson, Vincentia, Sanctuary Point, St Georges Basin, Callala Bay
Sandy soils, salt-laden wind straight off Jervis Bay, and holiday houses that sit empty for months at a time while the trees keep growing. The vegetation here is classic coastal — blackbutt and spotted gum on the better soils, bangalay closer to the shoreline, with old man banksia, cabbage tree palm and burrawang in the understorey.
Huskisson
Tight beachside blocks near Currambene Creek with big canopy trees over cottages and cabins. Access is usually the hard part, so trees come down in sections. Tree removal and palm removal.
Vincentia
Leafy streets running down toward the bay, with mature blackbutt and spotted gum on residential blocks. Tree lopping for wind sail and tree pruning for clearance over roofs.
Sanctuary Point & St Georges Basin
Big spread of housing on sandy ground around the Basin. Loose sand gives shallow anchorage, so leaning trees get taken seriously here. Emergency & storm tree work and stump grinding — sandy stumps grind fast, which helps the price.
Callala Bay
Quiet, exposed and very close to the water. Salt burn, brittle limbs and self-seeded natives crowding fences. Hedge trimming for salt-hardy screens and tree pruning.
The coastal north: Shoalhaven Heads, Culburra Beach, Berry, Kangaroo Valley
Shoalhaven Heads
Where the river meets the sea, backing onto Seven Mile Beach. Wind off the water plus soft ground behind the dunes is a bad combination for tall trees. Tree removal and emergency & storm tree work.
Culburra Beach
Dune sand, banksias and coastal wattle, and houses sitting in the middle of it. Shallow-rooted trees, heavy salt exposure and holiday-let properties that need trees kept well clear of roofs. Tree pruning and mulching & green waste removal.
Berry
Heritage streetscapes, mature exotics, camphor laurels and large established garden trees on rich basalt-influenced soils. Careful, standards-compliant tree pruning matters here — the town's street trees are a genuine local issue and are Council's, not yours. Private garden work is a different question, so establish which is which first.
Kangaroo Valley
Escarpment country under the Morton National Park edge, deep soils, tall wet-forest species and long driveways that flooding and fallen limbs can cut off entirely. Land & block clearing, access clearing and tree removal.
The south: Sussex Inlet, Milton, Ulladulla
Sussex Inlet
A narrow strip between the inlet and the ocean, heavily treed and heavily exposed. Storm response and tree removal dominate.
Milton
Rolling farmland and heritage homes inland of the coast, with big old figs, camphors and exotics alongside remnant natives. Tree pruning and stump grinding.
Ulladulla
Harbour town that copped 80km/h gusts in the August 2024 event, with local SES units running dozens of downed-tree jobs. Blackbutt and spotted gum on the ridges above town, plus a lot of coastal garden palms. Emergency & storm tree work, palm removal and tree lopping.
Before you cut anything: whose tree is it?
Two questions decide everything.
Is it in the road reserve? Nature strip and street trees across the Shoalhaven are managed by Shoalhaven City Council. You do not prune or remove them, and you do not hire someone to do it for you. Report the problem to Council on 1300 293 111.
Is it protected on your own land? In NSW the answer is often yes. Shoalhaven City Council regulates private tree work through Chapter G4 (Tree and Vegetation Management) of the Shoalhaven DCP 2014, with protection broadest in urban residential zones and narrower in large-lot residential, rural and conservation zones — so your zoning is the first thing to check. Council's size definition of a tree is broadly over 5 metres tall, a crown over 5 metres wide, or a trunk circumference over 500mm at 1 metre above ground. The Gordon Timbs 45 Degree Rule exemption (reinstated in its pre-2023 form by Amendment No. 57, adopted 11 March 2025) covers trees within 45 degrees of a lawfully approved building that pose a risk. Confirm your specific case with Council before work starts — see Get Involved Shoalhaven and Council's Shoalhaven DCP 2014 Chapter G4.
Get a quote in your town
Wherever you are between Berry and Ulladulla, the process is the same: describe the tree, get a local crew out to look at it, get one clear price. Call (02) 4400 9336, or head back to the home page for the full service list.
Frequently asked questions
Do you cover the Bay and Basin and the far south of the Shoalhaven?
Yes. Coverage runs the length of the LGA — Huskisson, Vincentia, Sanctuary Point, St Georges Basin and Callala Bay through the Bay and Basin, and south through Sussex Inlet to Milton and Ulladulla. Travel is not loaded onto the price by postcode; you get one quoted figure for the job.
Who owns the tree on the nature strip out the front of my house?
Trees in the road reserve — the nature strip and street trees — are managed by Shoalhaven City Council, not by the adjoining property owner. Do not prune or remove them yourself. Report a damaged, dangerous or overhanging council tree to Shoalhaven City Council on 1300 293 111 and let Council assess it.
My property is bushfire prone. Can I clear around the house without approval?
Possibly, under the NSW 10/50 Vegetation Clearing entitlement, which lets eligible owners inside a designated entitlement area remove trees within 10 metres of a home and underlying vegetation within 50 metres. Eligibility depends on your address falling inside the mapped area, so check the NSW Rural Fire Service 10/50 online tool for your property before clearing anything.
How fast can a crew reach my town after a storm?
It depends on how widespread the event is. After a big east coast low the whole region calls at once and the worst jobs — trees on houses, blocked driveways, anything near power lines — are prioritised. Call (02) 4400 9336, describe exactly what has come down and what it is sitting on, and we will place you accordingly.