Mortdale based. Owner-operated. 15 years on the tools.
About True Roots — Sydney arborists and landscape builders based in Mortdale
AQF Level 5 arborist-owned tree and landscape construction company: eight full-time crew, our own machinery, ISO 9001 systems and $20M public liability. Here is who you are dealing with.
★ 5.0 from 71 Google reviewsAQF Level 5 arboristsISO 9001 certified$20M public liability
A tree company run by the arborist who quotes your job.
True Roots is James’s business. He is an AQF Level 5 arborist with close to 15 years on the tools, he still looks at most jobs himself, and the eight full-time staff who turn up are the people he trained, with specialist subcontract climbers on the biggest jobs. We are based on Junction Street in Mortdale and work across St George, the Sutherland Shire, the Inner West, the North Shore and out to the Hills and Parramatta.
The business does two things and does them together: tree work — removals, pruning, stump grinding, arborist reports, land clearing and vegetation management — and landscape construction, which is the site preparation, retaining, turf and planting that usually follows the tree work. One crew does both, so the block that had a 25-metre gum on it on Monday is level, retained and turfed by the end of the week, with one quote and one company accountable for all of it.
We work for homeowners, builders, strata managers and councils. The builder and utility side is a real part of what we do — Project Arborist roles on development consents, tree protection to AS 4970, powerline vegetation management under an Asplundh contract — and it is why the paperwork side of the business is as tidy as the site side: SWMS, insurance certificates, ISO 9001 quality systems and completion documentation come standard.
The paperwork behind the quote.
Everything below is current and available as a certificate on request — builders, strata managers and councils ask, so we keep them ready.
AQF Level 5 arborist
Diploma of Arboriculture (AHC50524), TAFE NSW. The qualification councils require for tree reports and that development consents name for the Project Arborist role. See our arborists.
$20M public liability
Public and products liability to $20 million, plus workers compensation with icare for every crew member. Certificates of currency supplied with every commercial quote and on request for any job.
ISO 9001 certified
Quality management system certified to ISO 9001 — documented procedures for quoting, safety, site work and handover, audited independently.
Industry memberships
Arboriculture Australia registered consulting and practising member; International Society of Arboriculture member. Work to AS 4373 (pruning) and AS 4970 (tree protection).
Indigenous-owned, tender-ready
An Indigenous-owned business, an LGCA approved supplier and a registered NSW Government supplier (buy.nsw), set up for council and government procurement and for builders’ supply-chain requirements.
Licensed landscape contractors
The landscape construction crew carries NSW landscape contractor licences, so retaining walls, site preparation and external works are done by licensed hands as well as insured ones.
Need the certificates for a tender, a strata committee or a builder’s onboarding? Request certificates of currency and we send the current public liability, workers compensation and ISO documents the same day.
Our own people, our own gear.
Photos from our own jobs. No stock images anywhere on this site.
5.0 ★
Google rating from 71 reviews, all of them public.
15 years
Close to 15 years of practical arboriculture behind the quotes.
8 full-time
Eight full-time staff, plus specialist subcontract climbers and crane partners on the biggest jobs.
Own machinery
Compact loader, tracked chipper, Rayco stump grinder and tip trucks. Cranes and excavators added when the job needs them.
Who you deal with at True Roots.
The arborist who quotes your job is the one responsible for it on the day. Eight employees, more than half of them Indigenous, all on our own books and covered by our icare workers compensation policy.
James (Jimmy) G
Director · AQF Level 5 consulting arborist · licensed landscape contractor
Diploma of Arboriculture (AHC50524, TAFE NSW). About 15 years in arboriculture. An Aboriginal man from Griffith, NSW, James started True Roots in Mortdale and trained the crew that turns up today. He writes the arborist reports, prices every job and runs the site.
“Most tree companies hand the landscaping to someone else, and most landscapers can’t touch a protected tree. I built True Roots to do both under one roof – report, permit, removal, clearing and the finished landscape – with my own crew and my own machinery. One contractor, one price, and one bloke responsible for all of it: me.”
Stephen M
Operations Manager · AQF Level 5 arborist
Diploma of Arboriculture (AHC50524). Runs the day-to-day: crews, plant, programs and site safety across tree and landscape jobs.
“No job leaves the yard without a plan, a SWMS and the right gear on the truck.”
Daniel H
Leading Climber · AQF Level 3 arborist
Certificate III in Arboriculture (AHC30820). Lead climber on dismantles and crane lifts. A proud Aboriginal man, part of the majority-Indigenous crew at True Roots.
“It means a lot to climb for an Aboriginal company that does things the right way.”
What you get that you might not get elsewhere.
Honest advice first
If the tree can be reduced instead of removed, or the council will not approve what you want, we say so before you spend money. It costs us jobs and earns us referrals.
One fixed price
Quoted after we see the site, with the crew days stated and optional extras as their own lines. Prices on this site are from our own 2026 invoices.
Council handled
Applications, AQF Level 5 reports and consent conditions are done in-house. We lodge with Georges River, Sutherland Shire, Bayside, Ku-ring-gai, Hunters Hill, Mosman and the rest every month.
Site left clean
Chipped, raked, blown and photographed. The most common line in our reviews is about the clean-up, and it is deliberate.
What 71 Google reviews keep saying.
Quoted from our public Google profile; … marks where a long review is shortened. Read all 71 reviews on Google.
“From the moment Jimmy arrived to quote the job, it was clear he’s passionate about trees and takes pride in his work. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and gave honest advice about what needed to be done—not just what would make the job bigger.”
“Jimmy and the two men working with him were professional, hard working and efficient with their time. They removed a large bougainvillea adjacent to the pool. … The cost was also very competitive.”
“I recently hired True Roots to remove a large gum tree from my property … They handled the job safely, carefully navigating around surrounding structures, and made sure everything was done with minimal disruption to the area.”
“Jimmy and his crew were fast, efficient and professional! He was so helpful in removing a tree in our yard that was a safety hazard. I highly recommend True Roots and would not hesitate to use them again if needed.”
“Thank to jimmy and he is crew they remove a dangerous tree of my backyard that was lending over roof. They were very professional … Best quote I had out of 3.”
“Great service! I liked how they cleaned up after they chopped down our tree. Efficient and very competitive pricing. I would happily book them again in the future.”
Mortdale based, Sydney wide.
Questions people ask before they book.
Who will actually turn up?
Our own crew, in True Roots shirts, with our own machinery. Cranes and traffic control come from specialist partners we work with every month. Subcontract climbers join us on the biggest jobs and work under our supervisor.
Are you insured, and can I see the certificates?
Yes — $20 million public liability and icare workers compensation. Ask and the current certificates of currency are emailed the same day; they go out with every commercial quote automatically.
Do you do landscaping as well as trees?
Landscape construction, yes: site preparation, retaining walls, turf, advanced tree planting and root barriers, usually straight after the tree work. We build outdoor spaces; we do not mow or maintain them. See landscape construction.
How far do you travel?
Anywhere in Sydney. St George, the Shire and the Inner West are daily; the North Shore, the Hills and Parramatta are scheduled runs; regional work is by arrangement, mostly for utility and council clients.
What our clients say
Real reviews from Sydney clients, quoted from our Google profile. Long reviews are shortened; tap Read more for the full review on Google.
Reviews …Really great service, professional, safe and accommodating. Difficulties of access easily overcome, good people to deal withRead more
David G.October 2026Jimmy and the guys were excellent at their job—very fast and very tidy. I highly recommend them, and I certainly wouldn't hesitate to use them again in the future. "True Roots" are the best.
Nomikos R.October 2026Removed 4 bunches of palm nuts and tidied everything up. Great job.
Matthew K.October 2026Jimmy and his crew were fast, efficient and professional! He was so helpful in removing a tree in our yard that was a safety hazard. I highly recommend True Roots and would not hesitate to use them again if needed.
Liz B.June 2026Jimmy and his team were excellent. Fast, reliable, well-priced and impressive work. Great to see such a good, local tree removal business and arborist in Mortdale and operating in the St George area. You will not be disappointed using these guys.
Jamie D.April 2026Great service! I liked how they cleaned up after they chopped down our tree. Efficient and very competitive pricing. I would happily book them again in the future.
Celia L.April 2026Jimmy and the two men working with him were professional, hard working and efficient with their time. They removed a large bougainvillea adjacent to the pool. I was very impressed with how well they did this, especially given how thorny it…Read more
Jan B.March 2026I recently hired True Roots to remove a large gum tree from my property, and I couldn’t be more impressed with their service. From the initial consultation to the final clean-up, the team of arborists were professional, efficient, and…Read more
Joseph2025Jimmy was amazing; right from the beginning, he was informative, professional and willing to work within our budget. We could not be happier with what he has delivered for us. We removed all our side trees and replaced them with hedges and…Read more
JJ2025Highly recommend the Team from True Roots, the boys came in and removed a Black Butt that was overhanging our house. Very competitive pricing and managed to squeeze us in. The stump was ground back and all waste was removed. Very professional and skilled workers. Will definitely use them again in the future.
Ben G.2024Highly recommend! James and the boys did an amazing job cutting down a large tree in my yard. Super professional, efficient, and left everything clean and tidy. Great service, and I’m really happy with the results. Will definitely call again for any future tree work! Thanks Andrew
Andrew M.2024Qualified, insured and accountable
- AQF Level 5 arboristDiploma of Arboriculture (AHC50524), TAFE NSW, 2024. About 15 years in arboriculture.
- ISO 9001 certifiedQuality management system certified to ISO 9001.
- $20M public liabilityPlus icare workers compensation. Certificates of currency sent with every quote.
- Australian StandardsTree pruning and trimming to AS 4373, tree protection on building sites to AS 4970.
- Indigenous-ownedOwned and operated by an Indigenous director. Registered NSW Government supplier on buy.nsw.
- 5.0 on Google71 reviews, every one from a real job. Read them.
Want the arborist to look at it, not a salesperson?
Send a photo of the tree or the site with your suburb. James or one of the crew calls you back the same day.
Get a free quote
Tell us what you need done and we will call you back to arrange a look. Every job is assessed individually - no two trees are the same.
Urgent or unsafe tree? Call 0422 023 242 - we answer 24 hours.