Brisbane City Council Trees and Your Driveway: What You Need to Know
Brisbane driveway damage is becoming more common, and it’s probably something you’re seeing on your own street, too.
A lot of the trees planted by Brisbane City Council back in the 50s (probably with good intentions) are now wreaking havoc. They’ve grown into big, beautiful canopy trees… but what many people don’t realise is that as above, so below. If the tree’s branches are stretching out over the road, chances are the roots are doing the same underground and that’s when driveways start cracking, lifting, and breaking apart.
At Conker, we have multiple people every week reaching out with the same question: “My driveway’s getting torn up by a council tree, what can I do?”
So, I wanted to put this blog together to clear up the confusion and help you understand the steps involved and what your options are.
So, is Brisbane driveway damage the council’s responsibility?
The short answer is: sometimes. But it’s not always straightforward.
If you think a Brisbane City Council tree has caused damage to your driveway — particularly where it crosses the footpath (called a driveway crossover) — you can actually lodge a claim through the Council. That claim gets handled by a third-party assessor (JLT Risk Solutions) and they decide whether Council is liable or not.
Click here to lodge a Notice of Injury, Loss or Damage
But and it’s a big but, just because damage has happened doesn’t mean it will be approved. Every case is looked at individually.
How to build a strong case for Brisbane driveway damage
If you’re planning to submit a claim, here’s what I’d recommend:
- Take plenty of photos — make sure you capture the tree, the visible root damage, and any cracking or trip hazards clearly.
- Focus on safety — Council tends to act quicker when there’s a risk to public safety (like lifted concrete that could trip pedestrians).
- Keep it simple — the cleaner your submission, the easier it is for the assessor to understand what’s going on.
- Get two quotes — the Council often asks for more than one, so it’s worth organising this early.
The whole process gets handled by JLT, not Council directly. In our experience, some assessors are great, they’re outcome-focused and helpful, while others… not so much. Like anything, it can come down to who you get on the day.
And while it would be nice to say that every claim with proof gets approved, the truth is Council can’t realistically cover every driveway in Brisbane with tree damage or they’d go broke doing it. So even with the best evidence, you may not get the result you’re hoping for.
Learn: Recommended Concrete Thickness for Driveways
How Conker helps with Brisbane driveway damage
We’re not here to just win a job. We genuinely want to help people understand what’s going on and make the best decision for their property.
So if you’re dealing with a damaged driveway caused by council tree roots, here’s how we can help:
- We’ll assess what’s actually going on — from a practical and technical standpoint.
- We’ll give you honest feedback and advice, including whether we think it’s worth pursuing a claim.
- We’ll put together a clean, council-appropriate proposal with everything needed for the submission.
Some people go for a full driveway replacement, others just repair the crossover (and do the rest privately later). There’s no one-size-fits-all, it depends on your budget, timeline, and how important aesthetics and functionality are to you.
Final thoughts
This isn’t a scare tactic, it’s just the reality of living with mature trees in a growing city. Brisbane City Council trees can absolutely cause damage to driveways, and yes, in some cases they will cover the cost. But it’s not guaranteed.
What is guaranteed is that if you’re proactive, document everything, and go into the process with eyes open, you’ve got a better shot.
And if you’re not sure where to start, reach out. We’re happy to take a look, give you a fair proposal, and point you in the right direction.
Hope this helps.
– Michael
Contact us
If you’re not sure where to start, get in touch.
We’ll happily take a look, give you an honest opinion, and if needed, provide a clear proposal that ticks all the boxes for council claims.
Contact us today — let’s protect your property and keep your driveway looking its best.
