Melbourne removal ranges by tree size, from small ornamentals to extra-large eucalypts. Real 2026 numbers, transparent bands, always confirmed by a free site quote. $20M Insured & AQF Qualified.
Every yard is different, so no honest arborist can quote you a fixed price without seeing the tree. What we can do is publish the ranges Melbourne homeowners actually spend, broken down by tree size — the single variable that moves price the most. Below are the four bands we quote most often in 2026, plus the add-ons (stump grinding, crane hire, council permits) that either come up or don't depending on the job.
Ranges are for straight-forward residential jobs across Melbourne, Greater Melbourne and surrounds. Complex jobs (limited access, over structures, contentious neighbour lines, protected species) sit at the top of each band or above.
Four size bands cover almost every residential job we quote. Take the height of your tree at its tallest point, and read across.
| Job Size | Typical Range | What's Included / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small Under 5m tall |
$260 – $840 | Ornamentals, small fruit trees, hedges being fully removed. Usually a half-day job for a 2-person crew, no crane, no permit for most councils. |
| Medium 5m – 10m tall |
$840 – $2,625 | Backyard staples — established prunus, silver birch, small eucalypts. Usually a full day, climbing rig or small EWP. Some councils need a permit at this size (see add-ons). |
| Large 10m – 15m tall |
$2,625 – $6,300 | Mature backyard trees. Almost always needs a permit and often a crane if access is tight. Multi-day for a full crew including disposal. |
| Extra Large 15m+ tall |
$6,000 – $15,000+ | Mature eucalypts, elms, plane trees. Crane essential in most Melbourne blocks. Council permit and often an arborist report required. |
Beyond size, five site-level factors move quotes within (or above) the ranges shown.
A front-yard tree with driveway access is the cheapest scenario — crew backs a truck to the drop zone and lowers straight in. Rear-yard trees behind a narrow side gate or a locked bin bay push cost up because every branch and every log has to be walked out by hand.
Cuts over a lawn are quick. Cuts over a roof, pool, shed, glasshouse, retaining wall or neighbour's property need controlled rigging or crane work — adds crew time, gear and insurance.
A 10m silver birch is much lighter and faster to process than a 10m eucalypt of the same height. Hardwoods (eucalypts, elms, oaks) blunt chains faster and produce more chip and log volume for the same visible tree.
Chipping the branches on-site into your green bin is free; hauling logs and mulch away in the truck adds a disposal fee that scales with volume. On extra-large trees, disposal can be $400–$1,500 on top of the removal itself.
If your council protects the tree (Knox, Whitehorse, Boroondara, Bayside, Monash, Maroondah and many more do — see our permit guides), you'll need a council permit before we can start. That's a separate cost — see add-ons below.
The removal quote covers taking the tree down and leaving the site tidy. These items sit outside the base range and only apply when they apply.
Standard removal is a flush cut at ground level, leaving the stump in place. Grinding it out is a separate service — see stump grinding cost. Ranges from $150 for a small stump to $900 for a large hardwood, with a $50–$100 discount when booked with the removal.
For large trees over structures, or tight-access sites where a crane is the safest option, we hire in a crane from about $1,500/day. Most large or extra-large jobs price the crane into the quote up front so you see the total.
If your council requires a Tree Works permit (most Melbourne councils do for canopy or heritage trees), the application fee is paid to council — currently around $227 for most metropolitan councils, though this varies. We can prepare the application on your behalf if required.
Some councils only accept permit applications supported by an arborist report. A basic single-tree permit report is $300–$700 — see arborist report cost. TLC's reports are written in-house by AQF Level 5 arborists, so there's no third-party consultant wait.
Fill in the form and the TLC Team will get back to you the same business day with an obligation-free quote — sized to your actual tree, yard and access, not an off-the-rack rate.
The questions Melbourne homeowners ask us most often when getting a removal quote.
For 2026, ranges are: small trees under 5m $260–$840, medium 5–10m $840–$2,625, large 10–15m $2,625–$6,300, extra large 15m+ $6,000–$15,000+. These are indicative — access, species and what's below the tree move quotes within (or above) the band. Every job is confirmed by a free site quote.
No. Standard removal cuts the tree flush to ground level and leaves the stump. Grinding it out is a separate service ($150–$900 depending on diameter), with a $50–$100 discount when booked at the same time. Some homeowners deliberately leave stumps as informal seating or garden features — grinding is only necessary if you're replanting or installing something on top.
Usually yes, in Melbourne. Most councils protect canopy trees — Knox, Whitehorse, Boroondara, Bayside, Monash and Maroondah all have specific thresholds published in their planning schemes (height, trunk circumference, or being listed as significant). We check council rules as part of every quote and prepare the permit application on your behalf if one is needed. The council fee (currently around $227 in most metro councils) is separate to our removal quote.
For small clearly-identifiable jobs we can give a ballpark from a good photo plus the address (Google Street View shows most trees). But we don't finalise removal quotes without a site visit — access, ground conditions, and what's under the tree change the quote enough that a photo-only price would be an unreliable commitment. The site visit is free and same-business-day where possible.
Timber density. A eucalypt of the same visible size can weigh two to three times what a silver birch does, which means more crane capacity, more chip volume, and more disposal. Hardwoods also blunt chainsaw chains faster — small variable cost, but real on multi-day jobs. Species is one of the questions on our quote form for that reason.
Book it in a period when the crew has capacity (weekdays outside storm season), let us chip everything on-site into your green bin instead of hauling waste away, and combine the removal with stump grinding for the same visit so we save mobilisation time. Beyond that, we won't quote below the bands — cheaper is either uninsured, unqualified, or cutting corners on permit compliance. All three cost you more than the saved fee if something goes wrong.