How much does tree removal cost in Sydney?
For a tree in a Sydney backyard, our table gives $290–$920 for one under 5 m, $920–$2,875 for 5–10 m and $2,300–$5,750 for 10–20 m, with the tallest trees quoted within $5,200–$17,250. In the City of Sydney council area, most trees of 5 m or more cannot be pruned or removed without approval, so the permit question comes before the price. When a job is charged on time rather than as a fixed sum, a qualified arborist bills $80–$205 an hour. The bands include GST.
Comparing cities, or after the Australia-wide picture? See the national guide: Tree removal cost in Australia.
Detailed Pricing — Tree Removal Cost in Sydney 2026
| Service | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small tree removal (under 5 m) | $290per tree | $575 | $920 |
| Medium tree removal (5–10 m) | $920per tree | $1,725 | $2,875 |
| Large tree removal (10–20 m) | $2,300per tree | $4,025 | $5,750 |
| Extra-large tree (20 m+) | $5,200per tree | $7,450 | $17,250 |
| Palm tree removal | $290per tree | $460 | $1,375 |
| Stump grinding (small <30 cm) | $170per stump | $230 | $345 |
| Stump grinding (medium 30–60 cm) | $290per stump | $400 | $575 |
| Stump grinding (large 60 cm+) | $460per stump | $690 | $1,025 |
| Tree pruning / trimming | $230per tree | $520 | $1,375 |
| Hedge trimming, maintained hedge up to 2.5 m (per m) | $6/m | $14 | $29 |
| Arborist report | $345per report | $520 | $805 |
| Emergency / storm damage | $575per job | $1,725 | $5,750 |
| Arborist hourly rate | $80/hr | $140 | $205 |
| Large palm (10 m+) or Canary Island date palm removal | $1,375per tree | $2,075 | $3,450 |
| Tree on house / structure, crane-assisted emergency removal | $3,450per job | $8,050 | $13,800 |
You're in.
A local installer will be in touch about your job. No spam, no middleman.
Prices include GST. Based on Sydney metro area, October 2026. Outer suburbs may vary.
What to Know About Tree Removal Work and Cost in Sydney
June is Sydney’s wettest month, averaging 133.1 mm at Observatory Hill, and 30.7% of dwellings were flats or apartments at the 2021 Census.
Not every tree needs to come out: pruning or trimming is $230–$1,375 a tree in the Sydney table, and an arborist by the hour $80–$205. A medium tree of 5–10 m is $920–$2,875 to remove.
Arborist cost in Sydney (2026): hourly rates, reports and clearing trees
An arborist in Sydney charges $80–$205 an hour, with $140 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 | $80/hr | $140 | $205 |
| Arborist report | $345 | $520 | $805 |
| Small tree removal (under 5 m) | $290 | $575 | $920 |
| Medium tree removal (5–10 m) | $920 | $1,725 | $2,875 |
| Large tree removal (10–20 m) | $2,300 | $4,025 | $5,750 |
| Extra-large tree (20 m+) | $5,200 | $7,450 | $17,250 |
| Stump grinding (medium 30–60 cm) | $290 | $400 | $575 |
Arborist report cost in Sydney: $345–$805, with $520 typical. Councils across Sydney 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 $290 for a small tree to $17,250 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 Sydney:
- 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 Sydney is covered in the questions below; the arborist will tell you before quoting.
What Affects Tree Removal Costs in Sydney
Height and what it costs
Height is the first thing an arborist asks about. Typical prices in our table step from $575 for a tree under 5 m to $1,725 at 5–10 m and $4,025 at 10–20 m. A tree over 20 m, especially one beside power lines or a building, sits in the $5,200–$17,250 band and may need a crane.
City of Sydney permits
In the City of Sydney, pruning or removing a tree needs council permission if it is 5 m or taller, has a canopy wider than 5 m, has a trunk over 300 mm across at ground level, or is on the Register of Significant Trees; heritage-listed trees usually need development consent. The application fee is $98 and the City assesses it in 28 days. Maximum penalties reach $500,000 for an individual and $2 million for a company.
Exempt and dangerous trees
The City lists species that can come out without its permission unless they are on the significant or heritage tree registers, and some weedy trees such as camphor laurel and coral tree are exempt only while under 10 m. A dead, dying or dangerous tree can be removed without a permit, but you need a report from an arborist qualified to at least AQF level 3, at $345–$805 in our table.
Elsewhere in Greater Sydney
Greater Sydney spans many councils, and NSW planning rules let each one set its own permit list in its development control plan, naming trees by species, size or location. The City of Sydney thresholds apply only inside that council area. If you live elsewhere in the metro area, look up your own council's tree controls, or ask the arborist which rules they work under there.
Apartments and rentals
Almost a third of Greater Sydney homes are apartments (30.7%, ABS 2021 Census), against 14.2% across Australia, and 35.9% of local households rent. A tree on strata common property is a decision for the owners corporation, not for one resident. A tenant who wants a tree gone should ask the landlord or agent to arrange the permit and the work.
Narrow lots and carried-out timber
Terraces, townhouses and other semi-detached homes account for 12.8% of Greater Sydney housing (ABS 2021 Census). On some of those lots the back garden can only be reached through the house or a rear lane. When no truck or chipper can get close, every branch is carried out by hand, and the job is often charged on time at $80–$205. Ask the arborist to look at the access before fixing a price.
Stumps, palms and storm damage
Grinding out a stump 30–60 cm across runs $290–$575, and one wider than 60 cm $460–$1,025. Palms have a band of their own at $290–$1,375. Observatory Hill records its heaviest rain in June, 133.1 mm on average (BOM averages), and a limb brought down by wind or rain is billed at the emergency rate of $575–$5,750.
How to Save Money on Tree Removal Cost in Sydney
- Living in the City of Sydney? Lodge the $98 permit application before you gather quotes, and allow 28 days for the assessment.
- Check the City's exempt list first: a privet, a clump of bamboo or a rubber tree may need no permit at all, unless it is on a significant or heritage register.
- For a tree that looks unsafe, call an AQF level 3 arborist first, since that report is what lets a dead or dangerous tree come down without a permit.
- Book planned work for the drier spring stretch: September averages 68.1 mm of rain at Observatory Hill, about half of June's 133.1 mm (BOM averages).
- Ask whether the quote covers chipping and removing the green waste, or whether logs will be left stacked in the yard.
- Get two or three quotes for the same job, each naming the height, the stump and the waste, so the prices describe identical work.
Sydney's access constraints and council tree rules
Sydney tree removal costs are shaped by two factors: access and council tree protection rules. Inner-city suburbs (Surry Hills, Newtown, Glebe) often require crane access or rigging-down work due to tight backyards and neighbour proximity — $1,200–$4,000 for a single mature tree. Outer suburbs with conventional truck-and-chipper access run $400–$1,200. Eastern Suburbs and North Shore councils such as Mosman and Ku-ring-gai (Killara, Pymble) protect trees through their development control plans under the NSW biodiversity and conservation planning policy, so many trees there need a permit before removal.
Sydney's most-removed species are camphor laurels (a notifiable weed in NSW), declining gum-tree limbs after storms, and palm trees in coastal suburbs. Pre-storm-season inspection bookings spike October–November. Council tree permit applications in Sydney can take up to about four weeks — worth front-loading before quote stage so multiple arborists can quote a clear scope.
Frequently Asked Questions — Tree Removal Cost in Sydney
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 →
Six deep-dives on Sydney tree removal cost
