Parks and reserves

Trees (public realm)

• Home to over 20,000 City trees, with 296 tree species and 42 families represented
• 64% of all City trees are native species
• 26% of our public realm is covered by tree canopy (excluding Kings Park)

Parks

• 120 hectares of parkland and gardens are maintained and cared for by the City of Perth
• 25 Parkland areas and reserves offer passive and active recreation opportunities
• Heritage listed gardens including Stirling Gardens, Supreme Court Gardens and Queens Gardens provide a glimpse in Perth’s early garden history

Flora

• Our parklands and gardens celebrate a rich botanical history and include displays of West Australian flora linking the City to Kings Park
• During Spring (September/October) our gardens and malls bloom with West Australia wildflowers

Fauna

• Some of the fauna you can expect to see in the city are river Dolphins, Quendas, Rakali, Great Egret, Fairy Tern, Carnaby’s Black Cockatoos and Oblong Turtles
• The City is committed to increasing biodiversity, preserving and improving habitat for fauna and providing education opportunities for residents and visitors

Irrigation

• The City of Perth is committed to sustainable water management, through its smart irrigation systems and stormwater harvesting initiatives nearly one billion litres of groundwater have been conserved since June 2021.

What is a City tree?
A City tree refers to a tree owned, cared for and/or controlled by the City of Perth and located within its Local Government Area in public spaces. Trees privately owned or located on private property are not and cannot be City trees. The City of Perth recognises its City trees as essential infrastructure to the public realm.

How can I request an additional City tree?
Please email through the detail of your request and the proposed site to [email protected]. The request will be  considered, and you will be notified of the outcome.

How can I request pruning of a City tree?
Please email through the detail of your request and any associated photos to [email protected]. Pruning requests  are assessed on a case by case basis factoring in tree health and pedestrian and vehicle safety in accordance with Council Policy 3.3 – Tree Protection (Public Realm).

Can I request a City tree be removed?
The retention, protection and maintenance of existing City trees is essential to ensure they deliver their full potential of environmental, social, economic, ecological and aesthetic benefits. The City may remove a City tree that is damaged, post-mature, diseased, in decline or poses a safety risk. If you believe a City tree falls into one of these categories please provide these details in correspondence addressed to the Parks Unit.

What if a City tree is damaged and/or removed without authorisation?
Where a live City tree is damaged and/or removed without authorisation, the City will recoup the full tree value to compensate the community for the loss in accordance with the City’s Tree Protection Policy (Public Realm) Management Guidelines.

How do I apply for verge development approval/assistance?
If you wish to install a treatment other than the approved treatments listed in our residential verge management guidelines please complete the Verge Transformation Request application. All applications will be assessed in line with the verge management criteria and the suitability of the site.

What treatments can I install on my verge?
Permissible verge treatments not requiring approval include live turf and prostrate native ground covers with a maximum growth height. Verge treatments that are permissible but require approval include plants with a mature height of less than 0.5m.