How we work on tight sites
From the roof, down the driveway, through the side gate
Compact blocks, side passages one person wide, and gardens that step down the hill towards the bay. A lot of Neutral Bay tree work can be done without a council permit if you know where the limits are. Alex will show you where they are when he comes out to quote.
Neutral Bay runs from the shops and flats along Military Road down to the water, and a lot of the suburb is on the slope in between. Blocks are compact, houses sit close to the boundary, and the only way into many back gardens is a side passage or a set of steps. Trees planted decades ago in a small courtyard or a narrow front garden are now leaning over roofs, balconies and the neighbour's place.
That shapes how we work. On a sloping block there's usually nowhere flat to drop branches, so we climb, cut and lower pieces on ropes, then cut them small enough to carry up the steps or out through the side gate. Sometimes the best way into the tree is from the roof. We plan the route out before we start, so nothing is dragged across a neighbour's garden.
Lower North Shore streets are commonly planted with Lophostemon confertus (Brushbox) and Jacaranda mimosifolia (Jacaranda), and plenty of gardens here have both. At the bottom of Young Street, off Military Road, North Sydney Council's Primrose Park bushland has open forest of Eucalyptus pilularis (Blackbutt), Angophora costata (Sydney Red Gum) and She-Oak around Willoughby Falls. Council's bushwalk guide also records large infestations of Lantana and Privet in the reserve behind the houses. Privet is on North Sydney's exempt list, so garden privet can usually come out without a permit, unless the property is heritage-listed.
Our starting point is keeping the tree. Most of what people ring us about in Neutral Bay is a tree crowding the house: leaves filling the gutters, shade over a small courtyard, a palm dropping fronds on the path. Much of that can be fixed inside council's maintenance pruning rules, without a permit and without losing the tree.
North Sydney Council lets you do a fair amount of maintenance without an application. These are the exemptions that matter most on a Neutral Bay block. Anything outside them on a protected tree needs a permit first.
Branches within 1 metre of an existing building, including eaves and gutters, can be pruned. Each branch must be no more than 100 mm in diameter, and the total taken must be less than 10% of the crown.
The same limits apply to branches that join the trunk no more than 2.4 metres above the ground. That covers lifting a crown off a path, a fence or a parked car.
Dead branches can come out of any tree, and dead fronds can come off a palm, at any height. On a tall tree that still means a climber, but it doesn't mean a permit.
Maintenance pruning of hedges under 5 metres is exempt. Formal hedges of 5 metres or more can be maintained and shaped too, but only by an arborist qualified to at least AQF 3 or a horticulturalist with at least a Certificate 3.
Cocos Palm, Privet, Umbrella Tree, Rubber Tree, African Olive, Indian Coral Tree, Tree of Heaven, Willow and all bamboo are exempt, along with Camphor Laurel and Chinese Hackberry under 10 metres. Some of these lose the exemption on a heritage-listed property.
A dead tree can be removed without a permit if a qualified arborist (minimum AQF 3) confirms in writing that it's dead, and it isn't needed as habitat for native animals.
All of this has to be done to AS 4373, the Australian Standard for pruning amenity trees, and it doesn't cover cutting a tree back hard for a view or topping it. When we quote, we mark which branches fall inside the exemption and which would need an application, so you can decide whether the permit is worth it.
The same services we offer everywhere, adjusted for small blocks, steep gardens and the North Sydney rules.
Taken down in sections from the top, lowered on ropes, and cut small enough to carry out through a side passage or up the garden steps.
Roofline, gutter and path clearance kept within council's maintenance limits where we can. Bigger reductions go through a permit first.
Privacy screens between houses that sit close together. Hedges under 5 metres need no permit, and taller formal hedges are maintained by a qualified arborist.
Dead fronds and seed pods off before they drop onto paths and skylights. Dead fronds are exempt, though Bangalow and Kentia palms on heritage properties need checking first.
Our own narrow-track grinder, so the stump can go on the same day as the tree. More on how that works on a sloping block below.
A tree down across a driveway or a limb on the roof after a storm. Ring 0452 030 077 and we'll work out how fast we can get there.
A stump at the bottom of a terraced garden is the hard part of many Neutral Bay jobs. We own our grinder, a Bandit SG40, and it's 74 cm across the tracks, so it goes through a standard side gate and along most side passages. Tell us at the quote if there are steps or a steep drop between the gate and the stump, and we'll look at how the machine gets there.
Grinding right next to a retaining wall or garden steps needs care, because the roots often run under the footing. We grind back to a safe distance and tell you what's been left in the ground.
On these slopes the sandstone is often close to the surface. If the stump sits on shelf rock, the rock sets how deep we can go, and we'll say so at the quote. When we're taking the tree out, the stump can be ground on the same visit. A lone stump left by a previous owner is worth doing on its own too. Stump grinding
Neutral Bay is in North Sydney Council. Outside the exemptions above, you need a permit to remove or prune a tree or other vegetation that is more than 5 metres high, has a crown more than 5 metres wide, or has a trunk circumference of more than 500 mm measured at ground level. Camphor Laurel and Celtis only need one once they're more than 10 metres tall.
On a heritage-listed property, approval may be needed regardless of size for some species that are otherwise exempt, including Bangalow palm, Kentia palm, Celtis, Indian coral tree, privet and willow. Ask council before relying on the exempt list.
From 1 July 2026 a $90 (incl. GST) non-refundable fee applies when you lodge, and council aims to assess applications within 12 business days. Council may ask for a report from an AQF Level 5 arborist. If it does, we can point you to an independent consulting arborist. Fines for unauthorised work can be up to $1.1 million, for the person who did the work and the person who asked for it.
Source: North Sydney Council, trees on private land. Checked October 2026.
Can I cut back branches touching my roof without a permit?
Usually, yes. North Sydney Council allows maintenance pruning of branches within 1 metre of an existing building, including eaves and gutters, as long as each branch is no more than 100 mm in diameter and you remove less than 10% of the crown. The work must follow AS 4373. Bigger branches, or more than 10% of the crown, need a permit if the tree is protected.
How big does a tree have to be before it's protected?
A tree is covered if it is more than 5 metres high, has a crown more than 5 metres wide, or has a trunk circumference of more than 500 mm at ground level. Camphor Laurel and Celtis are only covered when they're more than 10 metres tall. The circumference test catches trunks only around 16 cm thick, so many small garden trees qualify.
Do I need a permit to remove a Cocos palm or privet?
Generally not. Cocos Palm and Privet are both on North Sydney Council's exempt list, along with species such as Umbrella Tree, Rubber Tree, African Olive and all bamboo. The exception is a heritage-listed property, where approval may be needed for some exempt species, including privet, regardless of size. If your place is heritage-listed, check with council first.
What does a permit cost, and how long does it take?
From 1 July 2026 there's a $90 (incl. GST) non-refundable lodgement fee, and council aims to assess applications within 12 business days. Council may ask for a report from an AQF Level 5 arborist. If it does, we can point you to an independent consulting arborist.
Can you get a stump grinder into a steep back garden?
Often, yes. Our Bandit SG40 is 74 cm across the tracks, so it fits a standard side gate and most side passages. Steps and steep drops need looking at on site, which we do at the quote. If the stump sits on sandstone shelf rock, the rock limits how deep we can grind, and we'll tell you that before we start.
Real Google reviews from our customers.
"I can't recommend Alex and his team enough! They came out to my backyard and did an excellent job cutting down some large trees. Alex was friendly and approachable right from the start. He showed up on time, was extremely reliable throughout the process.…"
"Alex and his team at The Living Canopy are highly professional and reliable arborists in Sydney. They are friendly easy to work with and consistently deliver high quality work at a competitive price.…"
"Alex and Nick were great. Alex had very good knowledge of the trees and performed all work really well. They came when they said and cleaned up all cuttings. I highly recommend them"
We work across the North Shore regularly and know Neutral Bay well. Call us directly or send an enquiry — we'll come to you, look at the trees properly and give you a clear, honest price.
0452 030 077