Pricing guide · Melbourne · 2026
How much does tree removal cost in Melbourne?
Real 2026 prices from working Melbourne arborists, with the council-permit minefield mapped out so you don't cop a $10,000 fine. Melbourne's patchwork of Significant Tree Registers, VPO/SLO overlays and Bushfire Management zones makes pricing wildly different from one suburb to the next — here's how to read it.
Price by height
Height is the headline number, but trunk diameter, species (eucalypt vs cypress vs palm), lean direction and access all swing the price within these bands.
| Tree height | Typical removal | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5m | $400–$900 | Often no climber needed, half-day job |
| 5–10m | $800–$2,000 | Climber + groundie, full day |
| 10–15m | $1,500–$4,000 | 2–3 person crew, possible traffic management |
| 15–20m | $3,000–$7,500 | Often crane-assisted, council permit almost certain |
| 20m+ | $5,000–$15,000+ | Crane mandatory, multi-day, sometimes road closure |
Council permits — the Melbourne minefield
This is where Melbourne tree removal gets expensive in ways that don't show up in the arborist's quote. Each of the 31 metropolitan councils sets its own local law and planning overlays, and they vary from “basically nothing on a private block” to “you can't prune a branch without a permit”.
The strict councils
- Boroondara(Hawthorn, Camberwell, Kew, Balwyn) — Significant Tree Register plus blanket protection on trees over 8m. Permit required for almost any removal. Fines up to $10,000+.
- Glen Eira(Caulfield, Carnegie, Bentleigh) — aggressive Significant Tree Register and one of the highest enforcement rates in the metro.
- Stonnington(South Yarra, Toorak, Prahran) — STR covers many private gardens, officers actively check tree records before issuing planning permits.
- Bayside(Brighton, Sandringham, Hampton) — STR plus extensive VPO coverage.
- Yarra(Fitzroy, Richmond, Collingwood) — tree protection by trunk circumference (110cm at 1m height triggers permit).
- Manningham, Whitehorse, Knox— large SLO/VPO areas covering entire suburbs.
The relaxed councils
- Outer Ring Road growth corridors — Wyndham (Werribee, Point Cook), Casey (Cranbourne, Berwick), Melton, Hume (Craigieburn) — these are mostly newer estates with covenants but lighter council overlays. Removal of a planted street tree still needs council, but a private-block tree on a 2010+ build is usually a notification rather than a permit.
- Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong(inner west) sit in the middle — case-by-case depending on overlay and tree size.
The cleanest way to know what applies to your block: pull a free planning report from Vicplan (planning.vic.gov.au). Type your address, hit “generate report”, and look for any of: SLO (Significant Landscape Overlay), VPO (Vegetation Protection Overlay), ESO (Environmental Significance Overlay), or BMO (Bushfire Management Overlay). Any of those means a planning permit before you cut.
The 10/50 rule myth
You'll see Sydney tree-removal advice mention the 10/50 rule — vegetation clearing on bushfire-prone land. That rule does not apply to most of Melbourne.It's a NSW Rural Fire Service tool. Victoria's equivalent is the Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO) and the 10/30 rule, which only applies in designated bushfire-prone areas — mostly peri-urban fringe like the Dandenong Ranges, Macedon Ranges, Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula southern tip, and some pockets in the outer west and north.
If you're in Caulfield, Brunswick, Hawthorn or Footscray and someone tells you the 10/50 rule lets you take down a tree without a permit — they're wrong, and the council fine will land before the chipper's warmed up.
Stump grinding
| Stump size | Price |
|---|---|
| Small (under 30cm) | $80–$150 |
| Medium (30–60cm) | $150–$280 |
| Large (60cm+) | $280–$400+ |
| Multiple stumps | 10–25% discount per extra stump |
Grinding goes 15–30cm below ground level, enough for turf or a garden bed. If you're pouring concrete or a slab over the stump, ask for a deeper grind or full removal — that's usually an extra $80–$200.
Access difficulty
| Access | Cost impact |
|---|---|
| Truck on kerb, drop straight onto driveway | Baseline price |
| Side-gate access, wheelbarrow debris out | +20–40% |
| Backyard with no side access (over fence) | +50–100% |
| Crane lift over roof / pool | +$1,500–$5,000 crane hire |
| Traffic management / road closure | +$800–$2,500 |
| Tram/power line proximity (level 1 or 2 ASP) | +$500–$1,500 |
What a fair quote looks like
Get three quotes for any job over $1,500. A proper quote should specify: tree species and approximate height, scope (full removal vs reduce vs lift), debris disposal (chipped on-site, taken away, or left for you), stump grinding included or separate, traffic management if applicable, and whether they'll handle the council permit application. The arborist should be AQF Level 3 minimum (climber) and the assessor for a council report should be AQF Level 5.
Insurance: ask for a certificate of currency. Public liability minimum $10m, and they should carry their own workers' comp. Anyone who shrugs at this question, walk away — if a climber falls on your property without insurance, your home insurance becomes the first port of call.
FAQs
Q: Do I need council permission to remove a tree in Melbourne?
A: Almost always, yes. Most Melbourne metro councils have local laws or planning overlays (VPO, SLO) that protect trees over a certain height or trunk diameter, regardless of whether they're native. Glen Eira, Boroondara, Stonnington, Bayside and Yarra are particularly strict. Even on a private block in Brighton or Camberwell, a 10m tree usually needs a permit before a single branch comes off.
Q: How much does it cost to remove a tree in Melbourne?
A: Under 5m: $400–$900. 5–10m: $800–$2,000. 10–15m: $1,500–$4,000. 15–20m: $3,000–$7,500. 20m+: $5,000–$15,000+. Stump grinding adds $80–$400 depending on stump size. Hard access (no truck, crane required, over a roof) can double the price.
Q: Does the 10/50 rule apply in Melbourne?
A: No, not for most of Melbourne metro. The 10/50 vegetation clearing rule is a NSW Rural Fire Service tool — Victoria's equivalent is the Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO) and the 10/30 rule, which only applies in designated bushfire-prone areas (mostly the peri-urban fringe and rural Victoria). If you're in Glen Eira, Stonnington, Yarra, Moreland or any inner/middle Melbourne suburb, you absolutely need council permission.
Q: What's the Significant Tree Register?
A: Several Melbourne councils (Boroondara, Stonnington, Yarra, Bayside, Glen Eira) maintain a Significant Tree Register (STR) of individually-protected trees on private and public land. If your tree is on the register, removal is effectively prohibited except in safety emergencies. Pruning needs a permit and an arborist report. Removing one without consent can mean fines of $10,000+.
Q: What are VPO and SLO overlays?
A: Vegetation Protection Overlay (VPO) and Significant Landscape Overlay (SLO) are planning controls that protect trees in defined areas, not individually. If your property is in a VPO or SLO zone — visible on the Vicplan free planning report — any tree above the trigger height (usually 5m or 8m, varies by council) needs a planning permit before removal. Common in leafy parts of Boroondara, Manningham, Whitehorse and the Dandenongs.
Q: How much is stump grinding in Melbourne?
A: Same as Sydney roughly: $80–$150 for a small stump under 30cm diameter, $150–$280 for medium (30–60cm), $280–$400+ for large or multiple stumps. Most arborists discount stump grinding by $50–$100 if you book it with the removal rather than as a separate visit.
Q: Why does access make such a big difference?
A: If the arborist can park a chip truck and tip-truck on the kerb beside the tree, the job is fast — climb, drop, chip, gone. If they need to wheelbarrow debris through a side gate, lift cuts over a fence, or hire a crane to lift sections over a roof, hours and gear costs multiply. A 12m gum in an inner-suburb laneway property in Fitzroy can cost twice what the same tree costs on a Werribee corner block.
Q: Can I remove a dead or dangerous tree without a permit?
A: Most Melbourne councils have an exemption for genuinely dead trees and immediate safety hazards, but you usually still need to notify them and have an arborist's report. Cutting first and asking later is a high-risk strategy — councils have prosecuted homeowners who claimed safety after the fact when photos showed a healthy tree. Get the AQF Level 5 arborist report first, even if it's $300.
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