How much does tree removal cost in Sunshine Coast?
Taking down a tree under 5 m on the Sunshine Coast costs $240–$775, and one of 5 to 10 m $775–$2,425. Trees of 10 to 20 m run $1,950–$4,850, and anything taller falls in the $4,375–$14,550 band. Palms, a frequent job in the region's gardens, are $240–$1,175. Two questions are worth answering before you ring for quotes: is the tree protected under the council's planning scheme, and will the price include grinding out the stump and taking the timber away? Both change the number more than most people expect.
Comparing cities, or after the Australia-wide picture? See the national guide: Tree removal cost in Australia.
Detailed Pricing — Tree Removal Cost in Sunshine Coast 2026
| Service | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small tree removal (under 5 m) | $240per tree | $485 | $775 |
| Medium tree removal (5–10 m) | $775per tree | $1,450 | $2,425 |
| Large tree removal (10–20 m) | $1,950per tree | $3,400 | $4,850 |
| Extra-large tree (20 m+) | $4,375per tree | $6,300 | $14,550 |
| Palm tree removal | $240per tree | $390 | $1,175 |
| Stump grinding (small <30 cm) | $145per stump | $195 | $290 |
| Stump grinding (medium 30–60 cm) | $240per stump | $340 | $485 |
| Stump grinding (large 60 cm+) | $390per stump | $580 | $875 |
| Tree pruning / trimming | $195per tree | $435 | $1,175 |
| Hedge trimming, maintained hedge up to 2.5 m (per m) | $5/m | $12 | $24 |
| Arborist report | $290per report | $435 | $680 |
| Emergency / storm damage | $485per job | $1,450 | $4,850 |
| Arborist hourly rate | $68/hr | $115 | $175 |
| Large palm (10 m+) or Canary Island date palm removal | $1,175per tree | $1,750 | $2,900 |
| Tree on house / structure, crane-assisted emergency removal | $2,900per job | $6,800 | $11,650 |
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Prices include GST. Based on Sunshine Coast metro area, October 2026. Outer suburbs may vary.
What to Know About Tree Removal Work and Cost in Sunshine Coast
The Sunshine Coast is in wind region B1, where properties must be designed to resist weakened tropical cyclones; February is the wettest month, at 217.5 mm.
Palm removal is $240–$1,175 a tree in the Sunshine Coast table, and pruning $195–$1,175.
Arborist cost in Sunshine Coast (2026): hourly rates, reports and clearing trees
An arborist in Sunshine Coast charges $68–$175 an hour, with $115 typical for a qualified climber and a ground crew. Most tree work is quoted per job rather than by the hour, so the per-tree bands below are what you are actually asked to pay; the hourly rate is what sits behind them.
| Job | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arborist hourly rate | $68/hr | $115 | $175 |
| Arborist report | $290 | $435 | $680 |
| Small tree removal (under 5 m) | $240 | $485 | $775 |
| Medium tree removal (5–10 m) | $775 | $1,450 | $2,425 |
| Large tree removal (10–20 m) | $1,950 | $3,400 | $4,850 |
| Extra-large tree (20 m+) | $4,375 | $6,300 | $14,550 |
| Stump grinding (medium 30–60 cm) | $240 | $340 | $485 |
Arborist report cost in Sunshine Coast: $290–$680, with $435 typical. Councils across Sunshine Coast ask for a report from a qualified arborist before they will issue a permit to remove a protected tree, and it is also what a builder needs when trees on a block are in the way of a new house. The report is a separate fee from the removal itself.
Cost of clearing trees for a house or a block: clearing is priced tree by tree using the same size bands, from $240 for a small tree to $14,550 for a very large one, plus stump grinding if the stumps have to go. A block with several trees is quoted as one job, and the arborist report and any permits come first.
What moves an arborist quote in Sunshine Coast:
- Size and species: height, trunk diameter and how the timber behaves when cut set the band.
- Access: a tree that can be felled in one piece is far cheaper than one that has to be dismantled over a roof, a pool or power lines.
- Disposal: chipping on site is usually included; carting logs away or leaving them for firewood changes the price.
- Stumps: grinding is a separate line and depends on the stump diameter.
- "Cheap tree removal": the lowest quotes are often uninsured or skip the permit. Ask for insurance and whether the permit is included before comparing prices.
Whether a tree needs council approval in Sunshine Coast is covered in the questions below; the arborist will tell you before quoting.
What Affects Tree Removal Costs in Sunshine Coast
Height sets the starting price
Our table moves up in clear steps by height: typically $485 under 5 m, $1,450 at 5 to 10 m, $3,400 at 10 to 20 m and $6,300 once a tree passes 20 m. The tallest trees, and heavy trunks leaning over a roof or near power lines, can call for a crane, which is why that last band reaches $14,550.
Protected vegetation and the council fee
Sunshine Coast Council protects some vegetation through its planning scheme, and removing it needs a permit; a Development.i site report shows whether your property carries any. The domestic vegetation clearing fee in the council register is $385. Pruning a protected tree so hard that it is likely to die counts as clearing too, and damaging or removing protected trees without approval is an offence.
Trees along the fence line
Council lets you clear vegetation within 3 metres of your side of a boundary fence where that is reasonably necessary, and asks you to tell the neighbours first. Check with council that the tree is not protected by a development approval or a vegetation covenant before relying on that rule. For a tree growing next door, Queensland's neighbourhood disputes law makes its care the owner's responsibility.
Palms and fast subtropical growth
The airport weather station averages 1,492.6 mm of rain a year (BOM averages) and the region sits in NCC climate zone 2, so gardens grow quickly. A palm typically costs a little under a small tree to remove, $390 against $485, as there is no spreading canopy to take apart. A tall palm over a pool or roof still needs climbing gear, pushing the price toward $1,175.
Storm season and urgent call-outs
The Bureau of Meteorology counts November to April as cyclone season, and February, averaging 217.5 mm at the Sunshine Coast Airport, is the year's wettest month (BOM averages). Sodden soil and strong gusts bring trees down, and an emergency or storm-damage job costs $485–$4,850. A tree that leans, has split or is lifting at the roots is easier to plan for in the drier months than to clear after it falls.
Stumps, chipping and logs
Grinding is priced per stump: $240–$485 for one 30 to 60 cm across, and $390–$875 for anything over 60 cm. Find out whether chipping the branches and carting away the logs sit inside the removal price or on a separate line, because quotes handle this differently. Keeping the rounds on site for firewood or garden edging cuts down the haul-away.
Reports, pruning and lopping
If council or an insurer wants evidence about a tree's health or risk, an arborist report costs $290–$680; ask what arboriculture qualification the author holds. Often a tree can stay: pruning or lopping is $195–$1,175, maintained hedges up to 2.5 m are $5–$24 a metre, and an arborist by the hour costs $68–$175.
How to Save Money on Tree Removal Cost in Sunshine Coast
- Run a Development.i site report on your address before calling arborists, so every quote starts from the same answer about protected vegetation.
- Plan non-urgent removals for September, the driest month at the Sunshine Coast Airport (51.1 mm, BOM averages), when firm ground suits trucks and stump grinders.
- If two or three trees on your street need work, ask one arborist to quote them together so travel, the chipper and the crew setup are shared.
- Leaving a stump to break down in a garden bed saves the $340 a typical medium stump costs to grind.
- Ask to see a public liability certificate before work starts, and check it covers tree felling rather than general gardening alone.
- Clearing inside the 3 metre strip along your fence? Tell the neighbours before the crew arrives and agree where the drop zone and chipper will sit.
Tree removal cost on the Sunshine Coast (2026): rates by tree size, and what a quote includes
Tree removal on the Sunshine Coast is priced per tree by height: $240–$775 for a small tree under 5 m (typically $485), $775–$2,425 for a medium tree of 5–10 m (typically $1,450), $1,950–$4,850 for a large tree of 10–20 m (typically $3,400) and $4,375–$14,550 for anything over 20 m. A palm is $240–$1,175. Stump grinding is quoted on top: $145–$290 for a small stump, $240–$485 medium and $390–$875 large. Pruning rather than removing is $195–$1,175 per tree. The bands are the Sunshine Coast table on this page, GST inclusive.
| Job | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small tree removal (under 5 m) | $240 | $485 | $775 |
| Medium tree removal (5–10 m) | $775 | $1,450 | $2,425 |
| Large tree removal (10–20 m) | $1,950 | $3,400 | $4,850 |
| Extra-large tree (20 m+) | $4,375 | $6,300 | $14,550 |
| Palm tree removal | $240 | $390 | $1,175 |
| Stump grinding (small, under 30 cm) | $145 | $195 | $290 |
| Stump grinding (medium, 30–60 cm) | $240 | $340 | $485 |
| Stump grinding (large, 60 cm+) | $390 | $580 | $875 |
| Tree pruning / trimming (per tree) | $195 | $435 | $1,175 |
What moves the quote:
- Council and vegetation protection: Sunshine Coast Council protects many native species and trees in some zones; the arborist report and permit are separate lines, and removing a protected tree without one is expensive.
- Access and drop zone: a tree over the house, a pool or power lines has to come down in pieces with ropes or a crane, which is most of the gap within each band.
- What is included: ask whether the quote covers chipping and removing the timber, the stump, and cleanup; some quotes stop at the trunk on the ground.
- Storm work: after a cyclone or a big wet-season storm, crews are booked and emergency rates apply; planned removal in the dry season is cheaper.
For tree removal quotes on the Sunshine Coast that compare, give the height, what is under and around the tree, whether it is protected, and whether you want the stump gone; ask that the quote names the tree, the method, the cleanup and the permit.
Frequently Asked Questions — Tree Removal Cost in Sunshine Coast
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 →