Sydney Metro Livestock Rules, by Council

The state-wide NSW article covers the defaults set by SEPP 2008 and the Local Government (General) Regulation — but individual councils can and do set their own numbers on top of that. This page collects what each Greater Sydney council's own published policy actually says, sourced directly from each council wherever possible. Looking for a council outside Sydney? See the Regional NSW livestock rules by council page.

North Sydney Council

North Sydney allows up to 10 chickens or other fowl in residential areas, with no roosters permitted. Only one coop is allowed per property, and it must have a floor area no greater than 15m², a maximum height of 3m, sit at least 3m from any boundary, and be at least 4.5m from any dwelling, public hall, school, or premises handling food. Coops aren't permitted on heritage-listed properties or land in a foreshore area.

Source: North Sydney Council — Keeping Chickens

Hunters Hill Council

Hunters Hill allows a maximum of 10 hens in residential areas, with no roosters. One coop per property is permitted, located at the rear of the property, at least 3m from each boundary and 4.5m from any dwelling, with a maximum height of 1.8m and floor area of 10m². Coops aren't permitted on land in a foreshore area.

Hunters Hill's Local Environmental Plan contains no rural zoning at all — only low and medium density residential, local centre, mixed use, recreation and conservation zones. That means larger livestock like goats, sheep, cattle or horses have no zoning pathway anywhere in this council area, not just in residential zones specifically; there's no rural-zoned land to permit it on even by development application.

Sources: Hunters Hill Council — Backyard Chickens; Hunters Hill Local Environmental Plan 2012

Camden Council

Camden applies the state default directly: no more than 5 fowl or poultry, and no roosters, under the SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008. Only one fowl house is allowed per property, located in the rear yard, at least 3m from each boundary, and at least 4.5m from any dwelling, public hall, school or food premises for fowl or guinea fowl (other poultry types require a greater distance). Coops can't be built on or near a heritage item.

Unlike the fully-urban inner-Sydney councils, Camden has rural land — zoned RU1 Primary Production, RU2 Rural Landscape and RU4 Primary Production Small Lots under its LEP 2010. On this land, keeping goats, sheep, cattle or horses for personal use is treated differently to commercial "intensive livestock agriculture," which only kicks in at a large scale (defined thresholds include feedlots capable of holding 200+ goats, 200+ sheep or 50+ cattle). Smaller-scale keeping for the landowner's own use generally sits outside that definition, though a Property Identification Code from NSW DPI is still required once you're keeping cattle, sheep, goats, pigs or several other species regardless of number.

Sources: Camden Council — Keeping of Fowl and Poultry; Camden Local Environmental Plan 2010

Campbelltown City Council

Campbelltown caps standard residential poultry (chickens or guinea fowl) at 5 birds, rising to 10 on large-lot rural residential land, under the Local Government (General) Regulation and SEPP 2008. Roosters are not permitted at all. Chickens/guinea fowl must sit at least 4.5m from a dwelling, public hall, school or food premises; ducks, geese and turkeys need 30m. Larger animals — horses, cattle, cows, goats, pigs, sheep and alpacas are not permitted in standard residential areas, and swine must be kept at least 60m from a dwelling, shop, office, factory or church.

On rural-zoned premises, horses and cattle are permitted subject to their own conditions: they must be kept at least 9m from a dwelling, school, shop, office, factory, church or other public building, must not create a nuisance or health hazard, and stable floors must be paved with concrete, mineral asphalt or similarly impervious material, properly graded to drain.

Beekeeping is permitted as a hobby in residential areas, provided it isn't run as a commercial operation without development consent, all hives are registered with the NSW Department of Primary Industries, and keeping complies with the Apiaries Act 1985 and the NSW Beekeeping Code of Practice. Council recommends speaking with neighbours before starting.

Sources: Campbelltown City Council — Keeping of Animals; Keeping Bees

Georges River Council

Georges River's Local Orders Policy — confirmed via a 2016 Land and Environment Court decision (Tanious v Georges River Council) — permits up to 10 domestic poultry or guinea fowl, housed at least 4.5m from a dwelling. For other poultry types (ducks, geese, turkeys, peafowl and other pheasants), the limit drops to 5 birds, with housing required at least 30m from a dwelling. Roosters are prohibited where crowing would cause offensive noise.

Georges River's LEP 2021 land use zones are explicitly listed as R2/R3/R4 residential, business, industrial, recreation and conservation zones only — no rural zones (RU1–RU6) and no R5 Large Lot Residential zone exist in this LGA. That means goats, sheep, pigs, cattle or horses have no zoning pathway anywhere within Georges River, not just in standard residential areas.

Sources: Tanious v Georges River Council [2016] NSWLEC 1330, discussed in Balla Lawyers' case summary; Georges River Local Environmental Plan 2021 — confirm current poultry numbers directly with council, as policies are reviewed periodically.

Liverpool City Council

Liverpool's Animal Management Standard applies the state default setbacks — 4.5m from a dwelling for fowl, 30m for other poultry types — with poultry yards required at least 3m from each boundary and hard paving under roosts. The Standard's published bird-number limits weren't fully extractable from the council's PDF at the time of writing; confirm the current cap directly with council.

Unlike the fully-urban inner-Sydney councils, Liverpool has substantial rural land — the western portion of the LGA is zoned RU1 Primary Production, RU2 Rural Landscape and RU4 Primary Production Small Lots, alongside R5 Large Lot Residential. On RU1-zoned land, a minimum 10-hectare lot applies for dual occupancy, giving a sense of the large-acreage character of this zone; RU4 (Small Lots) allows smaller rural holdings. This means goats, sheep, cattle and horses have a real zoning pathway in Liverpool's rural west, unlike councils with no rural zoning at all.

Sources: Liverpool City Council — Animal Management Standard (PDF); Liverpool Local Environmental Plan 2008

City of Parramatta Council

Parramatta's Keeping of Birds and Animals Policy allows a recommended maximum of 10 birds for Gallus Gallus (chickens) or guinea fowl, and 10 for other poultry. Roosters are not to be kept on residential premises. Poultry must sit at least 4.5m from any school, childcare centre or dwelling, with concrete or mineral asphalt paving required under roosts.

Parramatta's LEP 2023 land use zones are explicitly limited to residential (R2/R3/R4), employment, mixed use, special purpose, recreation, conservation and waterways — no rural zones and no R5 Large Lot Residential zone exist in this LGA. As with the other fully-urbanised inner councils on this page, that means goats, sheep, pigs, cattle or horses have no zoning pathway anywhere in Parramatta.

Sources: City of Parramatta — Keeping of Birds and Animals Policy (PDF); Parramatta Local Environmental Plan 2023

Penrith City Council

Penrith's Keeping of Animals Local Orders Policy tiers the limit by bird size: up to 5 small fowl/poultry (under 2kg adult weight — chickens, pheasants, quail, call and mallard ducks) plus up to 2 large fowl/poultry (over 2kg — large ducks, geese) on a standard residential rear yard. On large lot residential properties of 4000m² or more, up to 10 fowl or poultry total is considered suitable. Roosters should not be kept in residential areas due to noise.

Despite "City" in its name, Penrith has extensive rural land — zoned RU1 Primary Production, RU2 Rural Landscape, RU4 Primary Production Small Lots and RU5 Village, plus R5 Large Lot Residential, covering rural villages including Londonderry, Luddenham, Castlereagh and Mulgoa. Goats, sheep, cattle and horses have a genuine zoning pathway across this substantial rural portion of the LGA, unlike the fully-urban inner-Sydney councils on this page.

Sources: Penrith City Council — Keeping of Animals Local Orders Policy (PDF); Penrith Local Environmental Plan 2010

Sutherland Shire Council

Sutherland Shire applies the SEPP 2008 exempt-development defaults directly: on standard residential land (outside Zone R5), no more than 5 fowl or poultry and no roosters; on land zoned R5 Large Lot Residential, up to 10 fowl or poultry. Coops must sit at least 3m from each boundary, 4.5m from a dwelling/school/food premises for fowl or guinea fowl only, or 30m for other poultry types. Rural-zoned land (RU1–RU4, RU6) allows a larger 50m² structure up to 7m high.

Note that these R5/rural-zone provisions come from the generic state SEPP wording. Sutherland Shire's own LEP 2015 zone list is limited to residential (R2/R3/R4) and business/employment zones — it doesn't appear to include an R5 or any rural zone, so in practice the standard 5-bird residential rule is likely to be what actually applies across this LGA, with the larger-lot provisions unlikely to have practical application here.

Sources: Sutherland Shire Council — Keeping Chickens; Sutherland Shire Local Environmental Plan 2015

Blacktown City Council

Blacktown doesn't appear to publish a specific numeric poultry limit on its website at the time of writing — the general NSW default under SEPP 2008 (5 birds, 10 on large lots, no roosters) is likely to apply, but this isn't confirmed directly from council. Contact Blacktown City Council directly to confirm current numbers before acquiring poultry.

Blacktown's LEP 2015 includes one rural zone — RU4 Primary Production Small Lots — alongside its residential, business and industrial zones. This is more limited than councils with the full suite of rural zones, but it does mean smaller-scale primary industry and rural land use, potentially including some livestock keeping, has a genuine (if narrower) zoning pathway in parts of this LGA.

Sources: Council contact: 02 9839 6161 — Blacktown City Council — Keeping Animals; Blacktown Local Environmental Plan 2015

Mosman Council

Mosman's Local Orders Policy allows a maximum of 12 fowls (including guinea fowls) per premises, kept at least 9m from any dwelling, public hall, school or food premises — a larger setback than most neighbouring councils. Other poultry varieties need 30m and require a separate application to council for determination. Roosters are not permitted under any circumstances.

Mosman's LEP 2012 zone list is limited to R2/R3 residential, employment, special purpose, recreation and conservation zones — no rural zoning exists in this small, fully-developed harbourside LGA. As with the other similarly-sized inner-Sydney councils on this page, goats, sheep, cattle and horses have no zoning pathway anywhere in Mosman.

Sources: Mosman Council — Local Orders Policy, Keeping of Poultry (PDF); Mosman Local Environmental Plan 2012

The Hills Shire Council

The Hills Shire doesn't set one fixed bird cap; instead its Local Orders Policy assesses numbers against property size, with land under 1200m² treated as residential and land above potentially assessed as rural. Poultry must sit at least 4.5m from any adjoining premises, with concrete or mineral asphalt flooring required under roosts, and roosters assessed case by case rather than automatically banned.

The Hills Shire has substantial rural land — its LEP includes RU1 Primary Production, RU2 Rural Landscape, RU3 Forestry and RU6 Transition zones (RU5 Village in some areas too), covering rural localities such as Maroota, Kenthurst and Annangrove. Goats, sheep, cattle and horses have a genuine zoning pathway across this rural portion of the Shire. Council's own Local Orders Policy is specific about where: goats and sheep aren't permitted on residential properties at all, only rural ones, with numbers there assessed as appropriate to property size; pigs must be kept at least 60m from a dwelling on rural land, and aren't permitted in residential zones under any circumstances.

Sources: The Hills Shire Council — Local Orders Policy, Keeping of Animals (PDF); The Hills Local Environmental Plan 2012/2019

Wollondilly Shire Council

Wollondilly's guidance sets a limit of up to 5 poultry birds, with the coop at least 3m from the property boundary and 4.5m from a dwelling. Roosters are prohibited in urban areas due to noise.

Wollondilly is among the most rural of the Greater Sydney councils — three rural zones apply across the Shire: RU1 Primary Production, RU2 Rural Landscape and RU4 Primary Production Small Lots. Goats, sheep, cattle and horses have a substantial zoning pathway here, reflecting Wollondilly's largely rural character outside its town centres.

Sources: Wollondilly Shire Council — Keep Chickens For Eggs; Wollondilly Local Environmental Plan 2011

Fairfield City Council

Fairfield applies the SEPP 2008 defaults directly: no more than 5 fowl or poultry, and no roosters, within residential zones. Housing must sit under 3m high, no more than 15m² floor area, in the rear yard, at least 3m from each boundary and 4.5m from a dwelling, public hall, school or food premises, with only one poultry development permitted per lot.

Despite being one of Sydney's more densely populated inner-western LGAs, Fairfield retains rural zoning — RU1 Primary Production, RU2 Rural Landscape, RU4 Primary Production Small Lots and RU5 Village all appear in its LEP 2013. Goats, sheep, cattle and horses have a real, if geographically limited, zoning pathway within these areas.

Sources: Fairfield City Council — Guidelines, Keeping of Poultry Within Residential Zones (PDF); Fairfield Local Environmental Plan 2013

City of Ryde Council

Ryde doesn't publish its own separate numeric cap — poultry keeping is governed by the standard state Exempt and Complying Development Code, meaning the usual 5-bird default applies. Coops need a concrete floor and must sit at least 4.5m from any dwelling, including the owner's own home, and must be kept clean and free of odour.

Ryde's LEP zone list is limited to residential (R1–R4), business, industrial, special purpose and recreation/conservation zones — there's no R5 Large Lot Residential or rural zoning in this LGA, so the standard 5-bird rule is what applies across Ryde rather than any larger-lot exception.

Sources: City of Ryde Council — Keeping Animals; Ryde Local Environmental Plan 2014

Hawkesbury City Council

Hawkesbury doesn't set a fixed numeric cap — council recommends residents weigh property size and neighbour impact when deciding how many birds to keep. Roosters aren't recommended due to noise, and poultry houses built after February 2014 need council approval to keep roosters at all under the Exempt and Complying SEPP. Sheds can sit as close as 1m from the boundary (notably closer than most councils), up to 16m² without development consent, with fowls kept at least 4.5m from a dwelling, public hall, school or food premises.

Hawkesbury is one of the most rural councils in Greater Sydney — RU1 Primary Production, RU2 Rural Landscape, RU4 Primary Production Small Lots and RU5 Village zones cover much of the LGA, alongside R5 Large Lot Residential. Goats, sheep, cattle and horses have substantial zoning scope here, reflecting the Hawkesbury River valley's agricultural character.

Sources: Hawkesbury City Council — Keeping Poultry (PDF); Noise — Poultry, Guinea Fowls and Peacocks; Hawkesbury Local Environmental Plan 2012

Waverley Council

Waverley doesn't publish a fixed numeric cap for chickens on its own page — instead it strongly recommends consulting your neighbours before keeping chickens, on the basis that early agreement avoids complaints leading to a removal order later. Roosters are not encouraged or supported anywhere in the council area, mainly due to early-morning crowing complaints. Note that Waverley's own guidance covers chickens specifically, not other poultry types.

Waverley's LEP zone list is limited to residential (R2/R3/R4), business, mixed use, special purpose, recreation and conservation zones — no rural zoning exists in this small, fully-developed eastern-suburbs LGA. Larger livestock has no zoning pathway anywhere in Waverley.

Sources: Waverley Council — Keeping Chickens; Waverley Local Environmental Plan 2012

Hornsby Shire Council

Hornsby's Policy for Keeping of Animals sets specific standards for goats and pigs. Goats must be kept at least 45m from a dwelling, public hall, school or food premises, with numbers capped at one goat per 93m² of available yard space, concrete or impervious flooring, and daily cleaning. Pigs require development consent before being kept at all — there's no exempt-development pathway. Residents report council's poultry allowance follows the common pattern of around 5 chickens with no roosters, though this isn't fully confirmed from council's own current published numbers.

Source: Hornsby Shire Council — Policy, Keeping of Animals

Ku-ring-gai Council

Ku-ring-gai confirms the standard SEPP 2008 default directly: on residential properties, a maximum of 5 chickens and no roosters are generally permitted, provided the property is zoned R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 or RU5 — a Development Application is required if the property is zoned E3 or E4 instead. Only one poultry house is allowed, in the rear yard, at least 3m from any boundary, under 3m high and no more than 15m².

Sources: Ku-ring-gai Council — Tips for Pet Owners; Other Animals

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