New South Wales: Free Plants, Rebates and Garden Freebies
Every free plant program, garden rebate and freebie from NSW councils. Sydney to Wollongong, pick your council and start claiming.
Programs verified October 2026City of Sydney free plants and rebates
Free Tree Giveaway
EventWho: City of Sydney residents.
When: Annual event held each March. Check the What's On Sydney events page for the next date.
How: Turn up on the day and collect your trees. Popular species go fast, so arrive early.
Check dates →Randwick City Council free plants and rebates
Native Havens Program
Free PlantsWho: Randwick residents and local schools.
How: Apply through the council's Native Havens page. You get a tailored garden design consultation and native plants delivered to boost local biodiversity.
Claim this →Community Nursery
ServiceHow: Visit the Randwick Community Nursery in Kingsford for affordable local natives grown by Council. Check the nursery page for opening hours and the current plant list.
Learn more →PermaBee Community Gardening
ProgramWho: Open to everyone.
How: Turn up on Friday mornings. The PermaBee program runs regular community gardening sessions where you learn permaculture techniques and help maintain the garden.
Learn more →Sutherland Shire Council free plants and rebates
Free Native Seedlings
Free PlantsWho: Sutherland Shire ratepayers.
When: Vouchers arrive with your rates notice each July.
How: Redeem your voucher at the council's Community Nursery. The nursery sells wholesale-priced native plants grown from local seed year-round.
Claim this →Greenweb Grants
RebateWho: Property owners in the Greenweb network within Sutherland Shire.
How: Apply through the Greenweb program page. Grants fund native planting, weed removal and habitat restoration on private land. The program has been running for over 20 years.
Learn more →Wollongong free plants and rebates
Greenplan Nursery Plant Sales
ServiceWho: Wollongong City Council residents. Bring your current rates notice to each sale. Schools can ask about fee waivers through the School Planting Program.
How: Greenplan Nursery at Wollongong Botanic Garden opens for plant sales on the third Friday of each month, plus a few Saturdays a year. The plant list goes online about a week before each sale.
Check sale dates →Northern Rivers (Rous County Council) rebates
Water Tank Rebate
RebateWho: Rous County Council town water customers. Tanks must be installed, completed and paid for between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2027.
How: Download the application form from the Rous website and send it with proof of purchase and installation. The rebate depends on tank size (minimum 2,000 litres), and a plumber must certify any toilet or washing machine connection.
Claim this →Statewide Programs
There is no NSW Government free tree giveaway running in 2026. The Greater Sydney free tree giveaway with Indigigrow ran in 2021 and 2022 and has finished. These options work across the state, and your own council may run its own giveaway, so check its events page too.
Compost Revolution Subsidies
RebateWho: Residents in participating council areas, including Sutherland Shire, Inner West, North Sydney, Ku-ring-gai, Randwick, Waverley, Woollahra and Mosman.
How: Enter your address at compostrevolution.com.au to check eligibility. Complete a short online tutorial, then order your subsidised bin or worm farm. Your council covers the rest.
Check eligibility →National Tree Day Giveaways (late July)
EventMost councils run free plant giveaways for National Tree Day in late July each year. Check your council's events calendar or the Planet Ark site for local events near you.
Find events →Entitlements reset every July
Get the updated list (and what to plant with your free haul) once a year when programs refresh.
Got your free plants? Now plan your garden.
See exactly what to plant this month in Sydney with the free Planting Season calendar.
View the Sydney planting calendar →