Southbank Tree Removal & Pruning
Tree and palm removal and expert pruning in Southbank by a qualified, insured arborist — free quotes, 7 days a week.
- Free quotes
- Fully qualified & insured
- 16+ years
Tree removal and pruning in Southbank, done properly
Southbank homeowners call Aps Tree Removal for three things: a tree that has to go, a tree that needs a proper prune to stay safe, and a palm nobody else wants to touch. We do all three, in Southbank and the neighbouring suburbs of Albert Park, Docklands and Cremorne, with a qualified arborist on every job and a clean-up that leaves the yard tidier than we found it.
The nearest suburbs we also cover are Albert Park (2 km), Docklands (2 km), Cremorne (3 km), so a job in Southbank is often paired with one next door.
Crown reductions are measured, not guessed. We agree the finished height and spread with you, cut back to suitable growth points so the tree recovers with a natural shape, and never “top” a tree — a topped tree regrows weak, fast and dangerous, and ends up costing more.
Every tree job in Southbank begins with Api on site. He looks at the species, the lean, the decay, what is under the drop zone and how the chipper will get close, then tells you what he would do — remove, reduce or leave alone — and what it will cost. Nothing is cut until you have that in writing.
Tree Removal & Pruning in Southbank — what we do
Hazardous tree removal
Dead, leaning, split or storm-damaged trees taken down in sections.
Palm removal
Cocos, cotton and date palms removed trunk and all.
Hazard & clearance pruning
Deadwood out, canopy lifted off roofs, lines and boundaries.
Crown thinning & shaping
Wind through the canopy, light into the garden, the tree kept.
A tip from Api
If the tree is on or near the boundary, sort out with the neighbour whose it is before you book. We are happy to quote both sides of a fence in Southbank, but we cut only with the owner’s say-so.
The full service pages: Tree & Palm Removal and Tree Pruning — every one available in Southbank.
Guides from Api: Tree removal and stump grinding: why they go together and what stump grinding costs · Tree removal near me: how to find the right crew in Melbourne's west
Do you need a permit to remove a tree in Southbank?
The rule that applies to a tree in a Southbank garden is the Exceptional Tree Register — here is what it says.
The City of Melbourne says plainly that it has no authority over trees on private property except those on its Exceptional Tree Register — 268 trees across the municipality chosen for outstanding size, age, habitat value, Aboriginal association or unusual form — which are protected through the planning scheme.
For a registered tree, any buildings or works inside its Tree Protection Zone, significant pruning, lopping or removal needs a planning permit. Nominations to the register are reviewed roughly every five years.
In the residential zones — Kensington, Parkville, Carlton, North Melbourne and parts of the rest — the state canopy-tree clause applies to large trees near the street or rear boundary.
Source: City of Melbourne — trees on private property. 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.
Tree removal jobs by Api and the crew
Real jobs, real photos — Api, the crew and the truck, across inner Melbourne. Nothing staged, nothing stock.
Tree removal around Southbank
The same crew, the same day rates, in the suburbs next door:
Other services in Southbank
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 inner Melbourne say
Joseph Faltas
26 June 2023
APi is a great guy , honest and knowledgeable
Cathy Palio
26 June 2023
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! I can’t speak highly enough of Api and his team from APS tree removal. It was a huge job and they tackled it with ease and a smile…
Ann Davies
26 June 2023
Prompt and efficient service - courteous and helpful - a pleasure to have them on the job - would definitely recommend them to friends
Ann D
21 June 2023 · Malvern East
Most efficient and prompt - very friendly and will use them again
Jason M
18 May 2023 · Taylors Hill
Api and the team were very professional and did a thorough job including immaculate clean up. Highly recommend due to exceptional service. Their price…
Travis
28 Mar 2023 · Werribee
Professional courteous on time and service to the next level completed everything cleaned up and have no hesitation in recommending there service than…
Jennifer D
14 Mar 2023 · Sunbury
Api was a force of nature, the team felled 15 very large pine trees in 2 days and removed stumps. They cleaned up the site, left the wood in neat pile…
Heath
1 Mar 2023 · Point Cook
They did an awesome job, the trees look great, they did pruning and removed 2 others. Cleaned you after themselves. super happy. Thanks guys
Loryn
13 Feb 2023 · Wyndham Vale
Awesome service! Super efficient, neat and tidy. All the team were respectful and pleasant to deal with. Job done to a high standard, will definately…
Belinda
11 Jan 2023 · Niddrie
Very prompt and efficient
David A
31 Dec 2022 · Werribee
Connected with Aps Tree Removal and would recommend them
Mark
30 Dec 2022 · Altona Meadows
Connected with Aps Tree Removal and would recommend them
Southbank Tree Removal & Pruning — common questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Southbank?
Only if the tree is one of the 268 on the City of Melbourne’s Exceptional Tree Register, which the planning scheme protects, or if it is a canopy tree near a boundary in a residential zone under the state-wide clause. The council states it has no authority over other private trees. 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 tree removal cost in Southbank?
Removal is priced on the work involved — climbing versus felling, how much has to be roped down, chipper access and stump grinding — not on the suburb. The quote is free, written, and covers the clean-up.
How long does it take?
Most single trees are a morning; large ones a day. The quote gives you a start date and a finish time and we keep both.
Can you get in if the access is tight?
Yes. If a person can get to it, we can take it down in pieces small enough to carry out. Access affects the time and the quote, not whether it can be done.
What happens to the waste?
Chipped on the day and removed. If you would like the mulch or some firewood, say so when Api quotes and we will leave it stacked where you want it.
Can you save the tree instead of removing it?
That is the first question Api asks himself when he quotes. A healthy tree is worth keeping — for shade, for the street and for the value of the property — and good pruning is cheaper than removal. When it cannot be saved, he explains why.