Tree removal in Melbourne. Every metro council, Significant Tree Register handled.
Melbourne has a heritage problem and a heritage gift. Most of the inner-suburb tree stock is mature, well-shaped, and on someone's protection list. The trees that look easy to remove from the street rarely are. We've spent a long time learning which councils approve what and how to write the report that gets it through.
The Significant Tree Register and the overlays
Victoria's tree-protection regime layers four documents over your block:
- Significant Tree Register — maintained by individual councils. Lists specific trees by lot. Always requires permit even for pruning.
- Heritage Overlay (HO) — applies to whole streetscapes. Most of inner Melbourne. Removal requires planning permit even of unlisted trees over a threshold.
- Vegetation Protection Overlay (VPO) — applies to bushland and remnant vegetation. Outer Melbourne, Yarra Ranges, Mornington Peninsula, Macedon Ranges.
- Environmental Significance Overlay (ESO) — applies to environmentally sensitive areas. Catchments, escarpments, wildlife corridors.
If your block is touched by any of these overlays, removal requires a planning permit. Cost: $300–$1,500 council fee plus $400–$700 for the supporting arborist report. Decision turnaround: 60 days statutory. Often extended.
What it costs in Melbourne
Melbourne runs 10–20% above the national average. Inner-suburb premium for narrow streets, tight gates, parking permits.
| Job type | Typical Melbourne cost |
|---|---|
| Small tree removal (under 5m) | $500 – $950 |
| Medium tree (5–10m) | $1,000 – $2,000 |
| Large tree (10–15m) | $1,800 – $3,800 |
| Significant Tree Register removal (15m+) | $3,500 – $8,000+ |
| Council planning permit + arborist report | $700 – $2,200 |
| Stump grinding | $80 – $750 |
Suburbs we cover across metro Melbourne
- Melbourne CBD
- Carlton
- Fitzroy
- Collingwood
- Richmond
- South Yarra
- Prahran
- Toorak
- Armadale
- Malvern
- Caulfield
- St Kilda
- Elwood
- Brighton
- Hampton
- Sandringham
- Beaumaris
- Mentone
- Hawthorn
- Kew
- Camberwell
- Balwyn
- Canterbury
- Surrey Hills
- Box Hill
- Doncaster
- Templestowe
- Eltham
- Greensborough
- Heidelberg
- Ivanhoe
- Northcote
- Thornbury
- Brunswick
- Coburg
- Pascoe Vale
- Essendon
- Moonee Ponds
- Footscray
- Yarraville
- Williamstown
- Newport
- Altona
- Werribee
- Hoppers Crossing
- Tarneit
- Truganina
- Wyndham Vale
- Point Cook
- Sunshine
- St Albans
- Tullamarine
- Frankston
- Carrum Downs
- Cranbourne
- Berwick
- Pakenham
- Dandenong
- Springvale
- Mt Waverley
- Glen Waverley
- Ringwood
The Werribee growth corridor — different rules
Werribee, Hoppers Crossing, Tarneit, Truganina, Wyndham Vale and Point Cook have boomed in the last decade. The city is younger, the trees are mostly under 30 years old, and the protection regime is lighter. Wyndham Council uses a 6m height threshold for permits, which catches fewer backyard trees than the inner LGAs.
That makes Werribee a higher-volume, lower-permit-overhead area for us. Quotes typically faster, jobs typically simpler — most are 8–15m sugar gums or river red gums planted in the early subdivisions.
Melbourne species
River red gum
Eucalyptus camaldulensis
- Mature height
- 20–30m
- Common issues
- Limb drop, especially in summer; massive canopy spread
- Permit
- Almost always — heritage status common
Sugar gum
Eucalyptus cladocalyx
- Mature height
- 15–25m
- Common issues
- Often planted as street tree in western suburbs; brittle
- Permit
- Yes if ≥6m in most western LGAs
Plane tree
Platanus × acerifolia
- Mature height
- 15–25m
- Common issues
- Pollen allergies; massive root systems crack pavement
- Permit
- Heritage areas — almost always
Liquidambar
Liquidambar styraciflua
- Mature height
- 15–25m
- Common issues
- Spiky seed pods; weak crotches in storms
- Permit
- Sometimes — check local DCP
Powerlines — Citipower, Powercor, AusNet
Three Melbourne networks. Don't try to clear a tree from a line. Free crew dispatch:
- CitiPower (CBD, inner east, inner south): 13 12 80
- Powercor (western suburbs, regional VIC west): 13 24 12
- United Energy (south-east, Mornington Peninsula): 13 20 99
- AusNet (eastern suburbs, regional VIC east): 13 17 99
The protected red gum and the angry developer
A developer rang us last year to remove "a few trees" before a knockdown-rebuild in inner Melbourne. The lot had a 90-year-old red gum about 18m high. The developer hadn't checked the council's Significant Tree Register. We did, before the quote — the tree was on it. Removing it without a permit would have been a $24,000 fine plus a likely refusal on the rebuild DA.
We told the developer. He was annoyed. Paid us $400 for the report and the permit application. Council refused. He kept the tree, rebuilt around it, and the finished house ended up on the cover of a developer magazine because of the gum out the front.
Most Melbourne tree work is the report that tells you what you can and can't do. The chainsaw is the easy part.
Same services across Melbourne
Frequently asked — Melbourne
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Melbourne?
If on a Significant Tree Register, in a Heritage Overlay, or covered by VPO/ESO — yes. Inner Melbourne LGAs maintain extensive registers. Boroondara, Stonnington, Bayside, Yarra, City of Melbourne strictest.
How much does tree removal cost in Melbourne?
10–20% above national average. Small: $500–$950. Medium: $1,000–$2,000. Large: $1,800–$3,800. Permit-required jobs add $700–$2,200.
Do you cover Werribee and western suburbs?
Yes — Werribee, Hoppers Crossing, Tarneit, Truganina, Wyndham Vale, Point Cook. Wyndham Council 6m threshold. Western suburbs around the metro average.
What about Mornington Peninsula?
We cover Frankston, Mt Eliza, Mornington, Mt Martha. Mornington Peninsula Shire has VPO across most of the peninsula — permit usually required.
How long does a planning permit take in Melbourne?
60 business days statutory; commonly extended to 90+ days. We submit complete applications to keep it on the shorter side.