Merrimu Hedge Pruning & Trimming
Hedge trimming, shaping and hard reductions in Merrimu — privacy screens up to 10 m, formal hedges, every clipping taken away.
- Free quotes
- Fully qualified & insured
- 16+ years
Hedge pruning and trimming in Merrimu, done properly
Aps Tree Removal has trimmed hedges in Merrimu for over 16 years, and the tall ones are our speciality: lilly pilly, pittosporum, cypress and photinia screens that have outgrown the ladder. We bring platforms, long-reach gear and the chipper, and we leave the hedge sharp and the driveway clean.
The nearest suburbs we also cover are Long Forest (3 km), Bacchus Marsh (4 km), Darley (4 km), so a job in Merrimu is often paired with one next door. 2 of the reviews on this site are from customers in Long Forest, Bacchus Marsh and Darley, next door to Merrimu.
Pruning, as opposed to trimming, is for hedge plants that flower or fruit: we time the cut to the plant so you do not lose next year’s flowers, and prune by hand where shears would spoil it.
A hard reduction is different from a trim: we take the height and width back to where you want them, cutting into older wood where the species can handle it, then shape what is left. Some hedges bounce back in a season; others need a second lighter cut to fill in. Api will tell you which you have.
Hedge Pruning & Trimming in Merrimu — what we do
Tall privacy hedges
Screens and boundary hedges up to 10 m, from platforms.
Formal hedges
String-lined faces, level tops, crisp corners.
Hard reductions
Overgrown hedges brought back to a workable size.
Clippings removed
Chipped and taken away; nothing left on the drive.
A tip from Api
Do not cut a hedge hard in a Merrimu heatwave: the freshly exposed inner foliage scorches and takes a season to recover. Late winter or early autumn is the time for the big cuts.
The full service pages: Hedge Trimming and Green Waste Removal — every one available in Merrimu.
Guides from Api: Emergency tree removal in Melbourne: what to do first and how fast help comes · Professional hedge trimming: the DIY mistakes it avoids on Melbourne hedges
Do you need a permit to remove a tree in Merrimu?
Before anything is cut in Merrimu, the permit question comes first, and the answer depends on Moorabool Shire Council.
Moorabool puts it bluntly on its permit page: most trees and vegetation require a planning permit to be destroyed, removed or lopped. Native vegetation falls under Victoria’s native vegetation removal regulations, which usually mean a permit and an offset, supported by a Native Vegetation Removal Report from the state tool.
Other trees can be protected for local heritage, amenity or visual significance, or because they contribute to the waterways and catchments — the Werribee River and Lerderderg run through the shire — so the overlays on a title matter more here than in the suburbs.
The residential zones of Bacchus Marsh, Darley and Maddingley also carry the state canopy-tree clause. The shire’s planning team is on (03) 5366 7100.
Source: Moorabool Shire Council — trees on private property, (03) 5366 7100. Read 13 September 2026; councils change their local laws, so Api checks the current rule when he quotes.
Across Victoria since 15 September 2025
Clause 52.37 Canopy Trees
A canopy tree is a tree more than 5 m tall, with a trunk circumference over 0.5 m at 1.4 m above the ground and a canopy at least 4 m across. In a residential zone a planning permit is needed to remove, destroy or lop one in a residential zone if the lot is vacant, or, where there is an existing house, if any part of the trunk is within 6 m of the narrowest street frontage or 4.5 m of the rear boundary.
Dead trees, emergency and safety works, maintenance pruning and listed weed species are exempt; councils usually condition a permit on planting a replacement canopy tree, and most decide these through VicSmart in about ten business days.
What this means for you: tell Api where the tree sits on the block and he will tell you whether a permit is needed before anything is cut — and where one is, we can prepare the arborist assessment the application needs.
Hedge trimming jobs by Api and the crew
Real jobs, real photos — Api, the crew and the truck, across the Bacchus Marsh district. Nothing staged, nothing stock.
What customers near Merrimu say
Emily
Bacchus Marsh · June 2022
Connected with Aps Tree Removal and would recommend them
Kleo
Bacchus Marsh · Aug 2021
Connected with Aps Tree Removal and would recommend them
Hedge trimming around Merrimu
The same crew, the same day rates, in the suburbs next door:
Other services in Merrimu
Tree services made easy
At Aps Tree Removal, we simplify the tree and hedge removal experience with a clear, step-by-step approach.
Contact us
Want to learn more? Call 0422 856 090 or send the form and speak with Api.
Get a quote
Getting a quote is quick, easy, and free.
On-site inspection
A quick, thorough site assessment — species, access and risks.
Professional removal
Clean and safe work, chipped and cleaned up — no mess, no hassle.
What clients across the Bacchus Marsh district say
Siva Sankar
4 Dec 2024
Just Fab, Awesome job. Thank you for your work.
Emily Cavka
3 Dec 2024
I had 3 trees removed and I am very happy with their work.
Harrison singh
19 Nov 2024
Api is very professional and reliable. I have used his services few times and he has always exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend his services.
Sonny Reyes
14 Oct 2024
Very professional. The best job done at reasonable price. Thank you so much!
Suhair Bdeiwe
3 Oct 2024
Great service, I highly recommend them.
Ian Rogers
3 Oct 2024
Very happy with Api and his team with the removal of a very large jacaranda tree and several yucca trees. Always on time and provided advice on tasks…
Graciela Marinaro
26 Sept 2024
The guys were fantastic, very helpful with great customer service. I needed a very tall she oak removed in between my other plants, the guys were very…
Daniel M
26 Sept 2024
Api was a pleasure to deal with from the first call. He came the same day to have a look at the trees which needed to be cut and provided a very compe…
mikep p
25 Sept 2024
Two trees and stumps removed and site cleanup afterwards at a very reasonable price. Professional and friendly staff. Apps Tree Removal should be your…
Em
13 Sept 2024
Had Api come and trim back some out of control trees on our new property to a maintainable level, looks fantastic and he and his team were prompt, tid…
Mostafa Haroun
12 Sept 2024
API came through to our house with his team and gave us a quote for the work that we where happy with. When he was done we where so greatful and appre…
MonS S
4 Sept 2024
Exceptional service. Api and the team chopped and mulched trees and cleaned up to leave the yard immaculate. Highly recommend!
Merrimu Hedge Pruning & Trimming — common questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Merrimu?
Often, yes: Moorabool’s own guidance is that most trees and vegetation require a planning permit to be removed, destroyed or lopped — native vegetation under the state regulations, with an offset, and other trees where heritage, amenity or waterway overlays apply. The state canopy-tree clause applies in Bacchus Marsh’s residential zones too. Check with the shire before anything is cut. Across Victoria, Clause 52.37 Canopy Trees also applies since 15 September 2025: a planning permit is needed to remove, destroy or lop one in a residential zone if the lot is vacant, or, where there is an existing house, if any part of the trunk is within 6 m of the narrowest street frontage or 4.5 m of the rear boundary. Api checks both at the quote.
How much does hedge trimming cost in Merrimu?
Hedge trimming is priced on length, height, how much is coming off, and access for the platforms. A tidy annual trim of a 20 m boundary hedge in Merrimu is a routine job; a first cut on a neglected 8 m screen is not. Api quotes free and the price includes removing the clippings.
How long does it take?
Half a day is typical; the clean-up is included in that.
Can you get in if the access is tight?
Yes — and where the far side is the neighbour’s, we will speak to them so both faces can be done properly.
What happens to the waste?
Sheets under the hedge as we cut, then raked, blown and chipped. The drive and the path are cleaner than when we arrived.
My hedge is bare at the bottom and too tall — can it be fixed?
Most species, yes: reduce the height, narrow the top so light reaches the base, feed it and give it a season. Conifers are the exception — they can be shaped but not restored from bare wood.