On the job
A crew on the ground for every climber in the tree
Blocks of flats, terraces and older houses packed in together, street trees out the front, and council fines of up to $1.1 million for cutting the wrong tree. Alex quotes every North Sydney job himself and works out whose tree it is before anyone picks up a saw.
North Sydney is in North Sydney Council. You need a permit to remove or prune a tree or other vegetation on private land 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 measured at ground level. That last test is the distance around the trunk, so a trunk only about 16 cm thick at the base is already over the line. Camphor Laurel and Celtis are only caught once they're more than 10 metres tall. Trees on public land need council approval at any size.
Some work needs no permit. A tree confirmed as dead in writing by a qualified arborist (minimum AQF 3) can come out, as long as it isn't needed as habitat for native animals. You can take out deadwood and dead palm fronds, and do maintenance pruning of branches no more than 100 mm in diameter, removing less than 10% of the crown, where the branches join the trunk no more than 2.4 metres above the ground or are within 1 metre of a building, including eaves and gutters. Hedges under 5 metres are exempt. So are listed species including Cocos Palm, Indian Coral Tree, Rubber Tree, Umbrella Tree, Tree of Heaven, Willow, African Olive, Privet and all bamboo, plus Camphor Laurel and Chinese Hackberry under 10 metres. All pruning has to follow AS 4373.
On a heritage-listed property, approval may be needed for some of those exempt species regardless of size, including Bangalow palm, Kentia palm, Celtis, Indian coral tree, privet and willow. Building or excavating within 5 metres of a tree needs a development application rather than a tree permit.
For a tree on strata common property, the application comes from the Strata Committee Chair or Secretary, the managing agent, or a contractor with written authorisation. If a protected tree next door overhangs your land, you can apply to council to prune the overhanging branches back to the nearest suitable branch collar at the boundary, and the work must be done by an arborist qualified to at least level 3. If the arborist needs to get onto the neighbour's land, the neighbour has to lodge the application.
From 1 July 2026 there is 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, a licensed plumber or a structural engineer. Fines for unauthorised tree work can be up to $1.1 million, and they can apply to the person who did the work and the person who asked for it.
Source: North Sydney Council, trees on private land. Checked October 2026.
North Sydney fits a lot onto not much land. Office towers, blocks of flats, terraces and older free-standing houses can all share one street, and the trees have grown into whatever gaps were left: narrow side setbacks, courtyards, the strip between a block of flats and the boundary fence. Council describes the area as mostly Hawkesbury Sandstone with poor sandy soils, so roots spread wide and shallow looking for water, often under paving and into pipes.
The first question on most North Sydney jobs is whose tree it is. A street tree belongs to council, and nobody else can prune it without approval. Council prunes its own trees for safety clearance or an immediate hazard, and otherwise on an 18-month inspection cycle. It doesn't treat dropped leaves, bark or sap as a reason to prune. If your street isn't due for months, council lets owners apply to have the work done at their own cost, with conditions.
It works the other way too. If a private tree hangs over the footpath or road, council can issue a notice requiring the owner to cut it back to the boundary and keep 2.4 metres clear above footpaths and parking lanes, and 4.5 metres above traffic lanes. We can do that clearance work, and we check it fits within the pruning exemption or has a permit before we cut.
Then there's strata. A tree on common property belongs to the owners corporation, so one resident can't approve the work. We can quote to the strata manager or committee and put what we found in writing so the committee has something to decide on.
Most of the calls we get are about a tree that's too close: branches on the gutters, a crown over the balcony, leaves in the drains. Plenty of that can be fixed with careful clearance pruning inside council's exemption, and the tree stays. Where a tree is dead, dangerous or in the way of approved building work, we take it down in sections and lower every piece on ropes.
When a tree comes out of a North Sydney garden, the stump is usually in an awkward spot: hard against a boundary wall, in a courtyard at the back of a terrace, or in a garden bed behind a block of flats with only a side path for access. We own our stump grinder, a Bandit SG40, and it's 74 cm across the tracks. That means it fits through a standard side gate and down most side paths without anything being taken apart.
Because the machine is ours, the stump can be ground on the same visit as the removal. You don't have to wait for a hire machine or book a second trade. A single leftover stump from years ago is still worth doing, especially where it's in the way of new paving or a planter box.
Sandstone sits close to the surface across much of North Sydney. Where the stump has grown over shelf rock we can only grind as deep as the rock allows, and we tell you that at the quote, before you plan new turf or paving over the spot. If you know of pipes or cables near the stump, tell us when we come out. More about stump grinding
Branches off the building. Small branches within 1 metre of the house or block, including over eaves and gutters, can be cut back without a permit, provided each is no more than 100 mm in diameter and you take less than 10% of the crown. We stay inside those limits, and tell you if the job needs more. Tree pruning
A neighbour's tree over your roof. If the tree is protected, you can apply to council to prune the branches that overhang your side back to the boundary. Council requires an arborist of at least level 3 for that work, and it doesn't mediate between neighbours. Where talking doesn't fix it, the Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006 sends the matter to the NSW Land and Environment Court.
Bamboo along the boundary. Bamboo isn't protected in North Sydney unless the property is a heritage item. Under common law you can cut back stems that come over onto your side without the owner's consent. Tall screens need a ladder and some care around fences and windows. Hedge and screen trimming
Footpath and road clearance. If council has sent a notice about branches over the footpath, we can lift them to the 2.4 metre clearance and cut back to the boundary, within the pruning rules.
Dead and dangerous trees. If a tree is dead and isn't needed as habitat, it can be removed once a qualified arborist confirms that in writing. Living trees that need to go are taken down in sections once the permit is in place. Tree removal
Storm damage. A limb through a skylight or a tree across the driveway needs dealing with fast. Call 0452 030 077 and Alex will tell you what can be done straight away. Emergency tree work
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"
Who prunes the street tree outside my place in North Sydney?
Council does. Street trees are on public land, which needs council approval for any work, whatever the tree's size. Council prunes for safety clearance or an immediate hazard, and otherwise on an 18-month inspection cycle. It doesn't accept dropped leaves, bark or sap as a reason to prune. If your area isn't due for months, you can apply to council to have the work done at your own cost, subject to its conditions.
Our strata wants a tree on common property taken out. Who applies?
The Strata Committee Chair or Secretary, the managing agent, or a contractor with written authorisation. The lodgement fee is $90 (incl. GST) from 1 July 2026, and council aims to assess applications within 12 business days. If council asks for a report from an AQF Level 5 arborist, we can point you to an independent consulting arborist. We can put what we found on site in writing for the committee.
If a contractor cuts a protected tree, can I be fined as well?
Yes. North Sydney Council says fines for unauthorised tree work can be up to $1.1 million, and they can apply to the person who instructed the work as well as the person or company who did it. If you're not sure whether a tree is protected, ask before anything is cut. We check the height, crown width and trunk circumference at every quote.
The tree is dead. Do I still need a permit?
Not if a qualified arborist (minimum AQF 3) confirms in writing that it's dead and it isn't needed as habitat for native animals. Alex holds a Cert III (AQF 3). We'll look at the tree, check for hollows and nesting, and if it's dead and can come out, put that in writing before we remove it.
My neighbour's tree hangs over my roof. Can I cut it back?
If the tree is protected, you can apply to council to prune the branches that overhang your land back to the nearest suitable branch collar at the boundary, to AS 4373. The work must be done by an arborist qualified to at least level 3. If the arborist needs to go onto the neighbour's land, the neighbour has to lodge the application. Bamboo is different: it isn't protected unless the property is a heritage item, and you can cut back stems on your side without consent.
We work across North Sydney and the North Shore regularly. Call us directly or send an enquiry — we'll come to you, assess the trees properly and give you a straight, honest price.
0452 030 077