Weed trees · Updated 30 September 2026 · 6 min read
Camphor Laurel and Chinese Elm: Removing Restricted Invasive Trees in South-East Queensland
Camphor laurel and Chinese elm are restricted invasive plants in Queensland. What that means for your block, permit exemptions, removal costs and disposal.
- Camphor laurel and Chinese celtis (Chinese elm) are category 3 restricted invasive plants under the Biosecurity Act 2014.
- Both grow into huge trees: camphor laurel to 20m, Chinese elm to 18m with 30m canopies that lift concrete.
- Brisbane City Council exempts declared pest vegetation from permits; Logan exempts Cadaghi and umbrella tree.
- Big weed trees cost as much to remove as any large tree, guide $3,500 to $12,000, but they chip well and make good mulch.
What camphor laurel and Chinese elm are
Two of the biggest trees in older Brisbane suburbs are weeds. Camphor laurel was planted as a shade and street tree across south-east Queensland, and Chinese celtis, usually called Chinese elm, arrived as a garden tree. Both escaped. Both are now listed as invasive.
Camphor laurel is a category 3 restricted invasive plant under the Biosecurity Act 2014, according to the Queensland Government. It grows to 20 metres, with a dense, spreading canopy, glossy leaves that smell of camphor when crushed, and black berries that birds spread everywhere. It shades out everything underneath, and its roots go for pipes.
Chinese celtis is also category 3 restricted. Brisbane City Council's weed guide has it growing to 18 metres with canopies up to 30 metres across, and notes it lifts concrete. It drops leaves in winter, grows fast, and seeds along creeks and fence lines.
The umbrella tree is a third one worth knowing. Brisbane City Council lists it as declared pest vegetation, with roots that block pipes and damage footpaths and foundations.
All three are common across Brisbane's southside, the Redlands and Logan, especially on older blocks and along waterways.
What "restricted invasive plant" means for you
Being listed as a category 3 restricted invasive plant under the Biosecurity Act 2014 means the Queensland Government wants these trees controlled and not spread. The Business Queensland page for each species sets out what is expected of landholders. In practical terms for a homeowner:
- Check the Business Queensland page for what the restriction requires. It is about stopping spread.
- Seedlings and suckers along fences and creek banks are the easy part. Pull them while they are small.
- Mature trees are a removal job, and often a big one.
- Green waste from these species should be chipped or disposed of, not dumped in bushland where seed and cuttings take.
The bigger issue for most owners is not the law but the tree itself. A camphor laurel at full size drops leaves, berries and limbs all year, dominates the yard, and gets into sewer pipes and stormwater. A Chinese elm's 30-metre canopy will be over your roof, your neighbour's roof and the street.
Both species also regrow hard from the stump and root system, so removal needs to include stump grinding or you will have a thicket of suckers within a season.
Do you need a council permit to remove a weed tree?
Declared weeds are one of the easier categories under council rules, but do not assume. Each council words it differently.
Brisbane City Council. The "Do I need a permit?" fact sheet lists declared pest vegetation as exempt from the Natural Assets Local Law permit requirement, alongside dead trees, small trees and trees close to the house. Umbrella tree is on council's pest list. Camphor laurel and Chinese celtis are restricted under state law. The exemptions do not apply to "significant landscape trees", and a big old camphor laurel can be exactly that, so check.
Logan City Council. The exemption criteria specifically name Cadaghi and umbrella tree removal as exempt. They do not name camphor laurel or Chinese elm, so a big one inside the Biodiversity Areas overlay in Cornubia or Logan Village is worth running through council's decision tool.
Redland City Council. Trees are protected through City Plan overlays and Local Law No. 6, which work on area rather than species. A weed tree in a waterway corridor overlay in Thornlands may still need a check.
Our position: a permit may or may not apply, we look at the maps as part of the quote, and we do not cut until it is clear. Start with the permit checker and our council guide.
What it costs to remove a camphor laurel or Chinese elm (guide only)
A weed tree is not cheaper to remove because it is a weed. Camphor laurels and Chinese elms are among the largest trees we take out in suburban Brisbane, and they are priced like any big tree.
Brisbane guide figures put large tree removal at $3,500 to $12,000, medium at $800 to $3,500 and small at $300 to $3,000. By height, 2026 Brisbane guide rates run $300 to $700 under 5 metres, $1,200 to $2,800 for 10 to 15 metres and $2,500 to $5,500 for 15 to 25 metres.
| Weed tree job | Guide range |
|---|---|
| Small camphor or elm (under 5m) | $300 to $700 |
| Medium (10 to 15m) | $1,200 to $2,800 |
| Large (15 to 25m) | $2,500 to $5,500 |
| Stump grinding, over 100cm | $400 to $1,200 or more |
What makes these trees expensive is spread. A camphor laurel's canopy is wide and every limb over a roof, fence or driveway has to be rigged and lowered. There is a lot of material, so chipping time and truck loads add up. On the other hand, the wood is soft and quick to cut, and both species chip well.
Umbrella trees are usually small jobs by comparison. The cost calculator gives a starting figure; a free site quote gives the real one. See the full cost guide.
Disposal: chipping, green waste and mulch
Because these species spread from seed and cuttings, what happens to the material matters as much as getting the tree down.
- Chip it on site. Our wood chipper turns limbs and foliage into mulch. Camphor laurel mulch has a strong smell, so let it age in a pile before spreading it on beds.
- Bag the berries. Camphor laurel and celtis fruit should not go into mulch or compost. We bag seed-heavy material and take it away.
- Truck it out. We take everything to green waste if you do not want mulch. See mulching and green waste removal.
- Do it yourself. Brisbane City Council resource recovery centres charge $16 for a ute and trailer load under 100kg, $26.60 for 100 to 500kg, and $131 per tonne above that for green waste in 2025-26. A big camphor laurel is a lot of trailer loads.
Then grind the stump. Both species regrow from the stump and roots, and a stump left in the ground becomes a coppice of new stems and a termite home. See stump grinding and our termite guide. Follow up in the months after with a check for suckers along the root run and pull them while small.
Replacing weed trees with something better
Taking out a big weed tree often leaves a bare yard, and people worry about losing shade. The answer is to plant the right tree, not keep the wrong one.
For shade on a suburban block, look at local natives that stay a sensible size: lilly pilly, tuckeroo, water gum, native frangipani and brush box are all common choices in Brisbane. On acreage in the Redlands, Council's preferred koala food trees are Tallowwood, Grey Gum, Scribbly Gum and Queensland Blue Gum, and the Koala Conservation Action Plan aims for no net loss of native vegetation, so replacing a camphor laurel with a koala tree is doing the region a favour.
Wherever you plant, keep Energex's 1:1 rule in mind: plant a tree at least as far from powerlines as its mature height. And keep big roots away from the house, the sewer and the pool.
If you are clearing a block with multiple weed trees, regrowth and lantana, that is a land clearing job and we quote it as one. For single trees in Eagleby, Manly, Wynnum or anywhere we cover, contact us for a free quote. We are a qualified, insured crew working to AS 4373-2007, and we know a camphor laurel when we see one.
Sources
- Business Queensland: camphor laurel
- Brisbane City Council weed identification: Chinese celtis
- Brisbane City Council weed identification: umbrella tree
- Brisbane City Council: Do I need a permit? fact sheet
- Logan City Council: vegetation clearing exemption criteria
- GoTreeQuotes: Brisbane tree removal cost
- Dynamic Tree Solutions: Brisbane tree removal cost 2026
- Brisbane City Council: resource recovery centres
FAQ
Weed tree FAQs
Is camphor laurel a declared weed in Queensland?
Yes. Camphor laurel is a category 3 restricted invasive plant under the Biosecurity Act 2014, as is Chinese celtis, often called Chinese elm. The Business Queensland and Brisbane City Council weed pages set out what the listing means. Both trees grow very large and are common in older Brisbane suburbs.
Do I need a permit to remove a camphor laurel in Brisbane?
Brisbane City Council's permit fact sheet exempts declared pest vegetation, but not significant landscape trees, and a large old camphor laurel can be one. Logan names only Cadaghi and umbrella tree as exempt. Redland works on overlays. A permit may or may not apply, so we check the maps before quoting.
How much does it cost to remove a Chinese elm?
It is priced like any large tree. Brisbane guide figures run $1,200 to $2,800 for 10 to 15 metres and $2,500 to $5,500 for 15 to 25 metres, with large trees up to $12,000. Chinese elm canopies reach 30 metres across, so rigging over roofs is often the main cost.
Will a camphor laurel grow back after it is cut down?
Yes. Camphor laurel and Chinese elm both regrow from the stump and roots. Stump grinding after removal, then pulling any suckers that appear along the root run over the following months, is how you stop it coming back. Poisoning the stump alone leaves a rotting termite host.
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