How much does tree removal cost in Brisbane?
Taking down a tree in Brisbane costs $250–$800 when it is under 5 m, $800–$2,500 between 5 and 10 m and $2,000–$5,000 between 10 and 20 m. Anything taller falls in the extra-large band at $4,500–$15,000, the widest spread in the table. A palm comes out for $250–$1,200, and grinding a medium stump adds $250–$500. Before you collect quotes, find out whether Brisbane City Council protects the tree, because that decides whether you need a permit, and an arborist will price more confidently once the answer is on paper.
Comparing cities, or after the Australia-wide picture? See the national guide: Tree removal cost in Australia.
Detailed Pricing — Tree Removal Cost in Brisbane 2026
| Service | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small tree removal (under 5 m) | $250per tree | $500 | $800 |
| Medium tree removal (5–10 m) | $800per tree | $1,500 | $2,500 |
| Large tree removal (10–20 m) | $2,000per tree | $3,500 | $5,000 |
| Extra-large tree (20 m+) | $4,500per tree | $6,500 | $15,000 |
| Palm tree removal | $250per tree | $400 | $1,200 |
| Stump grinding (small <30 cm) | $150per stump | $200 | $300 |
| Stump grinding (medium 30–60 cm) | $250per stump | $350 | $500 |
| Stump grinding (large 60 cm+) | $400per stump | $600 | $900 |
| Tree pruning / trimming | $200per tree | $450 | $1,200 |
| Hedge trimming, maintained hedge up to 2.5 m (per m) | $5/m | $12 | $25 |
| Arborist report | $300per report | $450 | $700 |
| Emergency / storm damage | $500per job | $1,500 | $5,000 |
| Arborist hourly rate | $70/hr | $120 | $180 |
| Large palm (10 m+) or Canary Island date palm removal | $1,200per tree | $1,800 | $3,000 |
| Tree on house / structure, crane-assisted emergency removal | $3,000per job | $7,000 | $12,000 |
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Get Brisbane quotes →Prices include GST. Based on Brisbane metro area, October 2026. Outer suburbs may vary.
What to Know About Tree Removal Work and Cost in Brisbane
Brisbane City Council lists severe storms — large hail, damaging winds and heavy rain — among the city’s most common natural disasters, and Brisbane is in wind region B1.
For a fallen or dangerous tree the table has an emergency / storm-damage row, $500–$5,000 a job, and a palm comes out for $250–$1,200.
In Brisbane, trees and plants identified as protected vegetation under the council Natural Assets Local Law 2003 need a council permit to remove, even on your own property. A reputable arborist quotes you knowing this, and either sorts the permit themselves or refuses to remove until you have one. If a quote seems suspiciously cheap, ask explicitly whether the permit is included.
Brisbane trees: a tree and its stump, clearing a block, and an arborist's time
A Brisbane tree and its stump
Removing a medium tree of 5 to 10 metres is $800–$2,500 in our Brisbane table, and grinding its stump, if it is 30 to 60 centimetres across, $250–$500. The two together come to $1,850 at the typical prices.
Clearing trees for a house site in Brisbane
Our Brisbane table has no row for clearing a site, so we don't publish a block-clearing price. It prices tree by tree: a small tree under 5 metres is $250–$800 and a medium one $800–$2,500, so three medium trees come to $4,500 at the typical price before any stumps.
An arborist's hourly rate and a report in Brisbane
An arborist is $70–$180 an hour in our Brisbane table, and an arborist report $300–$700. Three hours on site at the typical rate come to $360.
These answers use the prices in the table on this page.
What Affects Tree Removal Costs in Brisbane
Height, spread and the crane
At typical prices a small tree is $500, a 5 to 10 m tree $1,500 and a 10 to 20 m tree $3,500. Past 20 m the typical figure is $6,500; a tree too risky to climb and lower in pieces over a house or power lines needs a crane, which pushes it toward $15,000.
Is the tree protected?
Council protects private trees by mapping them, not by height or girth: mature or prominent trees on its significant urban vegetation layer fall under the Natural Assets Local Law. Cutting or damaging one without a permit breaks that law even when the tree is on your own block. Applying costs nothing, a protected vegetation enquiry returns a detailed report for your address, and Council can respond with anything from an infringement notice to prosecution.
When no permit is needed
No permit is needed if the entire trunk is less than 3 m from a lived-in home on a block of up to 4,000 m², unless it is a significant landscape tree, or if the tree is plainly failing, with a split trunk or a lean heaving up the soil; photograph it first. The ceiling is 50 penalty units where putting the damage right would cost $4,000 or less, and 500 penalty units for a person otherwise.
Room to drop it
Where a tree leans over a roof, pool, fence or neighbour's yard, it cannot simply be felled. The crew climbs it and lowers each section on ropes, which takes far longer, and the hours add up at $70–$180 each. A clear path for the truck and chipper to the tree also matters, because every log carried out by hand is paid labour.
Stumps, chips and timber
Stump grinding is usually quoted on its own line: $250–$500 for a stump of 30 to 60 cm, and $400–$900 for anything wider. A medium tree and its stump at typical prices come to about $1,850. Ask for chipping and carting the timber to be listed separately so you can choose to keep the mulch or firewood.
Summer storms
February is Brisbane's wettest month at 176.1 mm and December to March each average more than 135 mm (BOM averages), the months when storms bring limbs down. An emergency or storm call-out is $500–$5,000, depending on what the tree has hit. Having a doubtful tree checked in the dry months, when September averages just 28.6 mm, beats waiting for it to fail in a storm.
Pruning, palms and reports
Many jobs need trimming, not removal. Pruning or lopping a tree is $200–$1,200, and a maintained hedge up to 2.5 m is $5–$25 per metre. If Council asks for evidence that a tree is unsafe, or you are weighing a permit application, an arborist report is $300–$700.
How to Save Money on Tree Removal Cost in Brisbane
- Make a protected vegetation enquiry with Brisbane City Council before you ask for quotes; it is free, and arborists can price firmly once they know whether a permit is involved.
- If a tree splits or starts lifting the soil after a storm, photograph it from several angles before anyone cuts it, as that is your evidence for the hazard exemption.
- Ask the crew to leave the cut rounds and the chips on site; you keep free firewood or mulch and pay less for carting.
- If the stump sits in a garden bed or a corner nobody walks through, leave it to rot and save the grinding, typically $350 for a medium stump.
- Tenants, who make up 35.1% of Greater Brisbane households (ABS 2021 Census), should report a dangerous tree to the owner or agent in writing rather than book the work themselves, since the tree belongs to the property.
- Before work starts, ask the arborist for a certificate of currency for public liability insurance, and check the name on it matches the business on the quote.
Storm season and mature gum risk in Brisbane
Brisbane's subtropical climate produces mature gum trees that drop limbs aggressively in storm season (October–March). Pre-storm-season preventive removal or pruning is the biggest demand category, typically $400–$1,800 per tree. Mature eucalyptus on tight Queenslander blocks (Paddington, New Farm, Auchenflower) often require crane access — $1,200–$3,000. Termite-affected trees (common in older suburbs) need careful felling assessment before any rigging work.
Brisbane City Council protects some significant trees with Vegetation Protection Orders — a permit is required before removal. Mango, jacaranda and poinciana are common Brisbane garden trees, but mature or prominent exotic trees can still be protected as significant urban vegetation, so confirm via council before booking. Most experienced local arborists will check protected-status as part of the quote process.
Frequently Asked Questions — Tree Removal Cost in Brisbane
Our Methodology
These are independent estimates from public cost guides, marketplaces and industry rate data, and no tradesperson can influence them, so always get a few quotes. Last reviewed October 2026. Read our full methodology →