If council, an insurer or a solicitor has asked for 'a report from a qualified arborist', this is the page you need.
No obligation. Takes 30 seconds.
Council tree applications are the most common trigger — where approval is needed to remove or work on a protected tree, council will generally want written justification from a qualified arborist. Development applications are the next: where building work happens near existing trees, an arboricultural impact assessment is often a condition of consent.
Insurance claims after tree failure frequently require written confirmation of what failed and why. Neighbour disputes over encroaching or dangerous trees benefit from an independent assessment. And pre-purchase inspections make sense when a property has large trees near the house — finding out a $6,000 removal is imminent before you buy is worth the report cost several times over.
Identification of the tree — species, dimensions, estimated age. An assessment of health and structural condition. Documentation of any defects, decay or disease. A risk assessment relative to the surrounding targets — buildings, people, vehicles. Recommendations with justification. Where relevant, tree protection zones calculated to the Australian Standard for construction works, and photographs.
For council submissions the report needs to address the specific matters council asks about. Tell the arborist what the report is for before they write it.
The report needs to come from someone with appropriate qualifications — councils commonly specify a minimum AQF Level 5 in arboriculture for reports supporting removal applications. A report from an unqualified operator gets rejected and you pay twice.
Confirm the qualification requirement with council before commissioning the report, and confirm the arborist meets it.
Typically $300 to $800 depending on complexity, the number of trees and how detailed the assessment needs to be. A single-tree removal justification sits at the lower end; a multi-tree arboricultural impact assessment for a development application sits well above it.
Against a removal that may cost thousands — or a DA that stalls without it — it's usually money well spent.
Wagga Wagga and the surrounding Riverina.
Where this job typically sits. Access is usually a bigger cost driver than size.
| Job | Indicative price | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| Small tree removal (under 5m) | $250 – $800 | Ornamentals, young trees, straightforward drop zone. |
| Medium tree removal (5 – 10m) | $800 – $2,500 | The most common suburban job. Access is the biggest cost driver. |
| Large tree removal (10 – 15m) | $2,500 – $6,000 | Usually sectional dismantling. Often needs an EWP or crane. |
| Very large tree removal (15m+) | $6,000 – $15,000 | Crane work, traffic control and multi-day jobs sit at the top of this range. |
| Stump grinding | $100 – $400 per stump | Priced on diameter and how close it sits to services or structures. |
| Pruning and lopping | $200 – $1,200 | Depends on canopy size, height and how much material comes out. |
| Storm and emergency response | Premium applies | After-hours callouts, hazardous conditions and traffic management add cost. |
| Arborist report | $300 – $800 | Written assessment for a council application, insurer or pre-purchase inspection. |
All prices are indicative ranges drawn from published Australian tree work price guides. Every job is different — you'll get a fixed quote after an on-site assessment.
Full removal of trees that are dead, dangerous, outgrowing the block or in the way of building work.
Cutting back overgrown canopies for clearance, light and safety — done properly, not just topped.
Trees down on roofs, driveways and fences — urgent make-safe and removal, including after hours.
Post-storm clean-up: fallen limbs, split trunks, hung-up branches and yards full of debris.
Selective pruning for clearance, health and structure — the maintenance that prevents removals.
Grinding stumps below ground level so you can turf, plant, pave or build over them.
Tell us the suburb, the tree and how urgent it is — we will match it to the right operator.
Call 0420 115 087