FAQ

Palm Trees

Palm cleaning or deseeding is the removal of dead fronds, fruit and immature seed pods. It's best to have cleaning done regularly or just when you can see dead or dying fronds, seed pods and hanging fruit. If bats are getting into the fruit on your palms, this is a good time to have the palm seeds removed. Removal of palm trees is strongly recommended as a alternative and more cost efficient way of dealing with palm trees.

What if a tree is an obstacle for placing a boundary fence?

In the case when the tree is placed on your property and the distance between the tree and planned boundary fence 1.5 metres or less from the centre of the trunk if the block is under 4000m2 , 3 meters between 4000m2 - 7999m2 , 6 metres greater than 8000m2 , you are allowed to remove the tree under condition that the fence is built within 21 working days upon the tree removal.

In the third case, when the neighbouring tree is positioned within Council land , you have to submit the request to Council asking for permission for the tree to be removed.

I have concerns regarding our safety as the tree on our property is quite large. Do you offer tree safety services?

Unfortunately, there is no way to make any tree safe; we can only make it safer. No matter how large it is, every tree can cause unpredictable damage, injury and/or death. However, the chance to be killed or injured by a tree is very low, practically none. Talking in numbers, 5 of 20,000,000 Australians die due to tree incidence per year. There are far more chances to win jackpot or Lotto. Anyway, trees can cause considerable damage during storms. See more under Storm damage. We provide free inspection of your trees and related pruning services to make trees less dangerous to your property and possibly exposed people.

I want to remove a tree from my property. Do I need approval?

Price of application to the Gold Coast City Council as of 13 May, 2019 :

1-2 Trees : $163.00

3-30 Trees : $251.00

31- and above: $408.00

please be advised this is a guidance only price correct pricing will be advised at time of application.

This link will show what needs to be completed for tree removal and a sample of the diagram. If you need assistance ﬁlling out the form we can assist for a additional fee.

Tree Care

There are numerous benefits from trees that we can enjoy: it contributes to air quality, protect us from too strong sunlight and wind, reduces noise level, contributes to erosion control and has aesthetic value. But, do we need to give something in return to keep it in a good condition? Although it seems like tree suddenly gets sick and dies with no particular reason, there might be some causes for that which happened few years ago, or some damaging that are imperceptibly active for years.
In order to keep tree healthy and alive, the most attention has to be given to roots. Following are some practical advices mostly related to roots care.

Roots exposure

Roots are constantly exposed to pedestrians, cars and lawnmowers which can cause injuries and tree weakening. Therefore, you should cover roots with no more than 1 cm of soil or 7 cm of mulch. If they are covered with thicker layer than proposed, there is possibility that tree will not get enough oxygen, which is also harmful. Paving around trees or even simple compaction of soil due to car weight can reduce oxygen intake. Therefore, it is important to ask for professional opinion before making some construction work near the tree.

Roots cutting

Sometimes there is need for cutting roots when, for example, sidewalks and curbs are raised up by them. This is not good for tree, but if you have to do it, do not cut roots thicker than 1 cm in diameter and make clean cuts which will allow optimal healing.

Watering

For almost all plants applies the same watering rule – not too dry and not too wet. The same is for trees. Overwatering can cause a quick death. On the other side, we are all witnesses that trees almost never die due to droughts though lack of water. However, what we don't see is that the tree becomes weaker because of water deficiency and can die after years.

Chemical toxins

What can be quite dangerous for tree are chemical toxins. So be careful with use of fertilizers, cement and paints near the tree.

Injuries made by whipper snipper

Equally damaging to roots and trunks are injuries made by whipper snippers. The only solution for this problem is keep a safe distance from exposed roots.

What is mulch good for?

There are many benefits of using mulch. It is good thermal isolator; it protects tree roots from too hot or too cold weather conditions and from large variations of air temperatures caused by, e.g., sunrise and sunset. It slows evaporation, preventing big shocks for tree due to suddenly lost of water, and watering is not needed so often. By breaking down of mulch, organic matter and nutrients are being released. Trees also benefits from mulching as it repels insects and helps control weeds by blocking the sunlight necessary for photosynthesis and germination. It is also useful for preventing soil erosion caused by rain. Due to all these beneficiary roles mulching is important part of no dig types of gardening.

Can I remove dangerous or dead trees if it is on public property?

No. Only people allowed to remove trees from public properties are Council and its contractors. What you could do is inform them.

My neighbour's tree is partly on my property. What can I do about that?

You can prune what is on your property as long as it is not harmful to tree. The cut branches belong to your neighbour, so he/she has to dispose them if you are not willing to.

Is it possible to get a quote without your visit?

In some rare cases it is possible. You need to email photos of tree to us and if we are able to, we will provide a quote.

I live in a townhouse and we have a Body Corporate. Can I remove tree from my property?

It depends on the distance between the trunk centre and Council approved structure.

If this distance is 3 m or less and the tree is on your private property, it is the matter of Planning Scheme implementation. You are allowed to assess situation yourself and act according to the Planning Scheme without asking for approval.

On the other side, if the mentioned distance is more than 3m and the tree height is more than 4m or the trunk circumference is more than 40 centimetres, the tree is protected under the Gold Coast Planning Scheme. Therefore, you have to submit a request for its removal to Council.

What is Land-Thinning?

Thinning trees in dense areas is done so that wind can blow through them easily. By thinning trees this helps your trees thrive and can aid in the reduction of mosquitos. Land thinning may also help with property resale.

What is Dead Wooding?

Dead wooding is the removal of the dead sections from trees done expertly. By removing the dead wood this ensures that the healthy areas survive and it can protect your property from the damage of falling debris.

We service all areas of the Gold Coast and Gold Coast Hinterland.