There will be more than 1,000 free trees available for inner-city residents and schools at Sydney Park on Saturday 30 March. 

City of Sydney residents will be eligible to collect two free trees until they run out, and local schools will be able to collect up to 10 trees for their school grounds. 

City staff will be available on hand to give advice on selecting the best plant for different locations, and tips on planting and tree maintenance. 

Tree varieties will include bottlebrush, banksia, grevillea, gardenia and camellia. There will also be lemon, lime and orange trees available. 

This is part of the City’s initiative to reach its target to increase the local tree canopy by 50 per cent by 2030. 

“Trees make our city cooler, improve air quality and provide more habitat for birds and animals. They also improve health and wellbeing by providing a calmer and more welcoming environment,” the Lord Mayor said.

“Trees are our best weapon in combatting the urban heat island effect. With Sydney sweltering through the hottest January on record this year, we need to plant more trees to keep our streets, parks and public spaces cool,” she added. 

Since the free tree giveaway began in 2014, more than 5,000 trees have been planted in resident’s backyards, courtyards and common areas. 

“Since 2005, we’ve planted more than 13,000 trees in public spaces, bringing the total close to 45,000. We have many more trees to plant and are working with our residents to plant them on private land,” the Lord Mayor said.