Mortdale based. Sydney wide. 15 years on the tools.
Cocos Palm Removal Sydney
AQF Level 5 arborists, $20M public liability and council paperwork handled. Tell us about the job and we call you back the same day.
★ 5.0 from 71 Google reviewsAQF Level 5 arboristsISO 9001 certified$20M public liability
The one palm almost every Sydney council lets you remove without a permit.
Cocos palms (Syagrus romanzoffiana, the “Queen palm”) drop fruit, feed rats, shed heavy fronds over pools and, according to NSW WeedWise, “have caused injuries and death to flying foxes”. That is why Georges River, Sutherland Shire, Canterbury-Bankstown, Ku-ring-gai, Hornsby, the City of Sydney and most other Sydney councils list them as exempt: no application, no fee, no waiting. We take them out, grind the stump and leave the spot ready to plant, usually in a morning.
Why councils want them gone
Sutherland Shire’s own fact sheet calls the cocos palm “an environmental weed, and a threat to our native wildlife”. The palm is native to South America, averages 12 m and can reach 20 m, and spreads by flying-foxes carrying the fruit and by dumped garden waste. In a backyard the practical problems are simpler: fronds that weigh several kilos dropping on the pool or the car, fruit that rots and brings rats, and seed heads that need cutting out every year.
Do you need council approval to remove a cocos palm?
In most of Sydney, no. Here is each council’s actual position with the source, checked October 2026. Exemptions never apply to a palm that is part of a heritage item, Bayside only exempts palms under 5 m, and a couple of eastern-suburbs councils want notice first.
| Council | Cocos palm removal | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Georges River | Exempt — Cocos Palm (Syagrus romanzoffianum) is on the exempt species list with no height condition. | Tree Management Policy 2024, Table 1 |
| Sutherland Shire | Exempt — “In the Sutherland Shire, Cocos Palms may be removed without Council approval.” | Council cocos palm fact sheet |
| Canterbury-Bankstown | Exempt — on the exempt species list. | Council private trees page |
| Ku-ring-gai | Exempt — Cocos Palm is in the DCP Part 13 exempt species table (not on heritage land). | DCP Part 13 |
| Hornsby | Exempt — listed (as Arecastrum romanzoffianum); exemptions do not apply on biodiversity-mapped or heritage land. | Hornsby DCP Tree and Vegetation 2024 |
| City of Sydney | Exempt, any height. | Council exemptions guide |
| Inner West | Exempt by species unless the palm is in a heritage conservation area. | Council FAQ |
| Woollahra | Exempt irrespective of height, but Council wants 7 days’ written notice and a replacement tree of at least 100 L pot size. | DCP Chapter E3 |
| Randwick | Exempt — any palm except cocos needs consent. | Council trees page |
| Waverley | Exempt, but Council must be notified by email 7 days before removal with photos. | Council permit form |
| Bayside | Exempt only under 5 m — DCP 2022 Appendix 3 lists “Queen Palm … only palms less than 5 metres”. Taller ones need a permit. | DCP 2022 Appendix 3 |
If your council is not in the table, send us the address and we check it before we quote. Our council guides cover the general rules for each area.
Cocos palm jobs
Photos from our own jobs. Client addresses are never published.
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.
What cocos palm removal costs
Small palm under 5 m: $300–$900 ex GST. Front-yard access is the cheap end; rear access or a stump adds to it. Palm 5–10 m with the stump ground: $1,500–$4,000. Tall or hard-access palms over 10 m: from $5,000, climbed and dismantled in sections over the pool or the neighbour’s roof. Stump grinding on its own is $300–$900 a stump. More than one palm on the same visit costs less per palm because the set-up is shared, and a row of them is the usual job. One fixed price after we have seen them, no call-out fee.
You will see cheaper numbers online. They usually leave out the two things that make a cocos palm job real work: the trunk is heavy, wet and fibrous and will not go through a small chipper, so it has to be cut, loaded and tipped; and the stump has to be ground deep or it sits there for years. Our price includes both, and our $20M public liability covers the palm over the pool.
How we remove a cocos palm
Photos and a price
Send a photo of the palm and the access. For an exempt species we can usually give a fixed price from the photos and book the day.
Crown off first
Fronds and seed heads are cut and lowered, never dropped on the pool or the fence. The Sutherland fact sheet notes that cutting the crown below the lowest frond kills the palm — which is the point.
Trunk in sections
The trunk is cut into lengths our loader can carry out through the side gate, then loaded and tipped. No chipper will take a cocos trunk.
Stump ground, ready to plant
Stump ground below turf level with our own grinder — the narrow Red Roo for side passages and pool surrounds — and backfilled, or ground deeper if you are replanting.
Cocos palm questions
Do I need council approval to remove a cocos palm in Sydney?
In most councils, no — it is an exempt species in Georges River, Sutherland Shire, Canterbury-Bankstown, Ku-ring-gai, Hornsby, the City of Sydney, Inner West (outside heritage areas), Woollahra, Randwick and Waverley. Woollahra and Waverley ask for notice first, and Bayside only exempts palms under 5 m. The table above links to each council’s own wording.
Why are cocos palms considered a weed?
NSW WeedWise records that cocos palms have injured and killed flying-foxes, and that the fruit spreads the palm into bushland. Councils like Sutherland Shire call it an environmental weed and a threat to native wildlife. It is not a declared priority weed in Greater Sydney, so there is no legal duty to remove it — just no permit needed if you do.
Can I kill a cocos palm by cutting the top off?
Yes. Palms grow from a single point at the crown; cut it off below the lowest frond and the palm dies. That still leaves a dead trunk standing, so the job is normally the whole palm and the stump.
Can I remove a cocos palm myself?
A small one in an open yard, perhaps. The fronds are heavier than they look, the trunk is very heavy when wet, and anything near a pool, fence or powerline is where people get hurt. For a palm over about 5 m, or more than one, it is a crew and a loader job.
What does removing a row of cocos palms cost?
Less per palm than one on its own, because the crew, loader and grinder are already there. Send a photo of the row and the access and we price the lot as one job.
What should I plant instead?
A native that suits the spot: Bangalow palm or cabbage tree palm if you want the palm look, or a small native tree. Our landscaping crew can plant it on the same visit.
Do you remove other palms too?
Yes — most other species need a council permit, which we lodge for you. See palm tree removal Sydney.
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.
Got cocos palms to get rid of?
Send a photo of the palms and the gate. No permit in most of Sydney, one fixed price, stump ground on the day.