Tree Removal Melbourne — Safe, Insured, Fully Cleaned Up
Need a tree gone? DTS removes trees of every size across Melbourne — from a small backyard wattle to a 25-metre gum hanging over a roof. Qualified arborists, $20M public liability, full clean-up included, and honest advice on whether your council needs a permit first.
What's included
- ✓Trees of any size — small backyard trees to 25m+ gums
- ✓Dead, dying, leaning and structurally failing trees
- ✓Removals over houses, pools, fences and power lines
- ✓Council permit and arborist report assistance included
- ✓Stump grinding, chipping and green waste removal on the same visit
- ✓$20M public liability, WorkSafe compliant, fully insured crew
- ✓Free on-site quote, usually within 24–48 hours
Every removal starts with a plan. Our arborists assess the tree's lean, decay, target zone and access, then choose the safest method — a straight fell where there's room, sectional dismantling with climbing and rigging where there isn't, or an EWP/crane where the tree overhangs a structure. Nothing is dropped without a rigging plan and a ground crew controlling the landing zone.
We work out of Kealba and cover the whole Melbourne metro area, from the western growth corridor through the north, inner suburbs, east and south-east. Most residential removals are completed in a single day, and we leave the site raked, blown down and clear of debris — you shouldn't be able to tell we were there except for the missing tree.
If the tree is unsafe right now — split, uprooted, leaning onto a house or hung up after a storm — don't wait for a quote. Call us and we'll get a crew moving; see our emergency tree removal page for after-hours response.
Tell us about your tree removal job
We'll get back to you fast with an honest price.
Tree Removal price guide — Melbourne 2026
Indicative ranges based on jobs we complete across Melbourne. Your written quote is fixed once we've seen the site — no hourly creep, no surprise dump fees.
| Job type | Typical price | What's involved |
|---|---|---|
| Small tree (up to 5m) | $450 – $850 | Ornamentals, wattles, small conifers with clear access |
| Medium tree (5–10m) | $850 – $1,800 | Standard backyard tree, sectional dismantle if access is tight |
| Large tree (10–20m) | $1,800 – $4,500 | Mature gums and pines, rigging over structures |
| Very large / hazardous (20m+) | $4,500 – $12,000+ | Crane or EWP work, power line proximity, traffic control |
| Stump grinding (add-on) | from $120 | Ground 150–300mm below surface, mulch left or removed |
| Emergency / after-hours make-safe | from $650 | 24/7 response, insurance-ready documentation supplied |
How our tree removal process works
We come to you, inspect the tree, check access and confirm whether a council permit is needed. Quotes are itemised and fixed — no day-rate surprises.
If your council or an overlay requires an application, we prepare the arborist justification and can lodge alongside you. Power line clearance is arranged with the distributor where needed.
Drop zones are cleared, lawns and paving protected, and a ground crew controls the area before a single cut is made. SWMS and JSA on every job.
The safest method for your site: straight fell where there's room, climbed sectional dismantle with rigging in tight backyards, or EWP/crane over structures.
Timber is chipped on site, the stump ground below surface if you've asked for it, and the area raked and blown clean before we leave.
Invoice, insurance certificate and — if you need one for council, a builder or an insurer — a written arborist statement on the tree's condition.
What tree removal actually costs in Melbourne
Price is driven by four things: height and trunk diameter, what's underneath the tree, how far the debris has to be carried, and whether the timber can be chipped on site. A 6-metre tree over open lawn with driveway access is a quick job. The same tree wedged between a pool and a neighbour's roof has to come down piece by piece on ropes, and that's a day's work for a crew of three.
The figures below are honest Melbourne ranges for 2026, not teaser prices. Your written quote is fixed once we've seen the site.
What makes a removal more expensive
- Overhead power lines — clearance work or a distributor shutdown adds cost and lead time
- No rear access — every branch and log carried through the house or side gate by hand
- Structures underneath — pools, pergolas, glasshouses and roofs all require rigging
- Hardwood volume — a mature red gum can be 15+ tonnes of timber to remove
- Decay and hollows — unpredictable wood means slower, more conservative dismantling
- Council permits — protected trees need an application and often an arborist report
Do you need a council permit to remove a tree?
In most Melbourne councils you can remove a tree on private land without approval only if it sits below the local size trigger and isn't covered by an overlay. Typical triggers are a trunk circumference of around 0.5m at 1.4m height, or a height above 5–10m, but every council words it differently — Brimbank, Hume, Melton, Wyndham, Whittlesea, Casey, Knox and Maroondah all have their own thresholds.
Vegetation Protection, Significant Landscape and Environmental Significance Overlays override the size rules entirely, and native vegetation on larger blocks is also controlled at state level. Dangerous trees can usually be removed immediately under an exemption, but you must be able to prove the risk — which is exactly what our photos and arborist statements are for.
We check your address before we quote and tell you straight if an application is required. If it is, our arborist reports service handles the documentation.
Trees we remove most often across Melbourne
- River red gum and yellow box — heavy limb drop, common through the west and north
- Sugar gum and lemon-scented gum — tall, brittle, frequently overhanging roofs
- Radiata pine — shallow-rooted and prone to whole-tree failure in wind
- Cypress and conifer screens — dead centres and fire risk along fence lines
- Liquidambar, plane and elm — root damage to paths, pipes and slabs
- Palms (cocos, canary island) — heavy crowns and hazardous frond removal
- Poplars and willows — invasive roots into drains and septic lines
Why Melbourne homeowners choose DTS for tree removal
- Family-run local crew, based in Kealba and working metro-wide every day
- $20M public liability plus full workers compensation — certificates supplied on request
- Qualified arborists (AQF Level 3 and above) making the removal decisions, not labourers
- Fixed written quotes — no hourly creep, no surprise dump fees
- Stump grinding, mulch and green waste all handled by the same crew, same visit
- Straight advice: if a tree can be safely pruned instead of removed, we'll say so
Tree Removal — frequently asked questions
- How much does tree removal cost in Melbourne?
- Most residential removals fall between $450 and $4,500. Small trees under 5m with clear access start around $450–$850, medium 5–10m trees run $850–$1,800, and large 10–20m gums or pines are typically $1,800–$4,500. Crane work, power line proximity or 20m+ trees can exceed $5,000. We give fixed written quotes after seeing the site.
- Do I need council permission to remove a tree in Melbourne?
- It depends on your council and whether the property carries a vegetation or landscape overlay. Many councils trigger a permit above roughly 0.5m trunk circumference at 1.4m height or above 5–10m in height, and overlays override those rules entirely. We check your address as part of the quote and prepare the arborist documentation if an application is needed.
- How long does a tree removal take?
- A straightforward backyard tree is usually 2–4 hours. A large gum requiring sectional dismantling over a house is a full day, and crane jobs are typically half a day plus set-up. We give you a time window when we quote and turn up when we say we will.
- Do you remove the stump as well?
- Stump grinding is a separate step but we do it on the same visit if you ask. We grind 150–300mm below the surface so you can turf, pave or replant. Grinding starts from around $120 for a small stump and is priced by diameter.
- Is DTS insured?
- Yes — $20 million public liability plus workers compensation for every crew member. We'll email the certificate of currency before we start if your body corporate, builder or insurer needs it.
- Can you remove a tree close to my house or power lines?
- Yes. Removals over roofs, pools and fences are dismantled section by section with rigging so nothing is dropped uncontrolled. For trees within the clearance zone of service or high-voltage lines we arrange the appropriate distributor approval or shutdown first.
- Do you clean up afterwards?
- Always. Timber is chipped or removed, the ground raked and blown clean, and mulch is left for your garden beds or taken away — your choice. Clean-up is included in the quoted price, not an extra.
- How soon can you come out?
- Free quotes usually happen within 24–48 hours and most removals are booked within the same week. Genuinely dangerous trees are prioritised, and we run a 24/7 emergency line for trees that have already failed.
- What if the tree is on the boundary or my neighbour's side?
- You can prune back to the boundary at your own cost, but removing a neighbour's tree needs their consent. We're happy to quote a shared job and speak to both parties so everyone knows exactly what's being removed.
- Which Melbourne suburbs do you cover?
- All of them. From our Kealba base we work across the western, northern, inner, eastern and south-eastern suburbs daily, plus Bacchus Marsh, Sunbury, Gisborne and the outer growth corridors.
Tree Removal across Melbourne
We work metro-wide from our Kealba yard. Pick your suburb for local council permit rules, common tree species and realistic response times.
Get your free tree removal quote today
Fully insured, fixed pricing, full clean-up included. Most quotes within 24–48 hours.