NSW SES says “Storm Season falls between September and April”, and every year the same calls come in after the first big southerly: a limb through the carport, a gum on the fence, a tree leaning on the powerline. Most of them were avoidable in October. Here is what we look for on our own jobs, what you can check yourself this weekend, and what to do when a tree does come down.
Six things to check before the first storm
- Deadwood over anything you care about. Dead branches are the first thing a storm takes, and they fall without wind too. Look up from the driveway, the trampoline and the bedroom windows. Deadwooding is exempt from council permits in nearly every Sydney council and it is the cheapest pruning we do.
- Long, heavy limbs over the roof. A branch that reaches well past the gutter line is a lever. End-weight reduction to AS 4373 takes the sail out without butchering the tree, and branches directly over the roof can be cut back to the nearest junction without a permit in Sutherland Shire and Ku-ring-gai.
- Cracks, cavities and fungus at the base. Mushrooms or bracket fungus at the trunk, a crack where a double leader meets, or a hollow you can put a fist in — those are the trees we get asked to look at after they fail. Photograph them and send them to us.
- Trees that moved in the last storm. Soil lifting on one side of the root plate, or a lean that was not there last year, is a tree telling you it is loose. That one is urgent.
- Branches near the powerlines. Not a DIY job and not a job for us either on the street side: Ausgrid’s own contractors clear the network lines. The private line from the pole to your house is your responsibility, and that one we do with authorised crews.
- Gutters and the ground. The SES list is the same every year: “Clean your gutters, downpipes and drains to prevent blockage” and “Secure or put away items that could blow around in strong winds”. A tree in waterlogged soil is far more likely to go over, so where the water goes matters as much as the tree.
What the council lets you do without a permit
People sit on a dangerous branch because they think they need a permit for everything. You usually do not need one for the storm-preparation work: dead branches are exempt almost everywhere, Hornsby and Inner West allow up to 10% of the canopy a year, Sutherland Shire allows minor pruning of 10% in any 12 months, and Ku-ring-gai allows branches up to 50 mm and anything directly over the roof line. Removal of a whole tree is the part that needs an application, and a dead tree is not automatically exempt — Ku-ring-gai and Inner West both want it confirmed in writing first. Our pruning page has the council table with sources, and the 2026 tree removal guide covers the rest.
When a tree comes down
- Powerline involved, or anyone hurt: stay well clear and call Triple Zero (000). For a fallen or damaged powerline call Ausgrid on 13 13 88. Treat every downed line as live.
- Tree on the house, car or blocking access: NSW SES on 132 500 for emergency help, and us on 0422 023 242 for the removal. We run 24/7 make-safe during storm season; making an imminent danger safe is exempt from council approval and we document it for you afterwards.
- Tree down but nothing damaged: no rush, and no need to pay emergency rates. Photograph it, send it to us, and we fit it in. Chainsawing a tree under tension yourself is how the second injury of the night happens.
- Neighbour’s tree on your fence: photograph everything before anyone cuts. Who pays depends on whether the tree was known to be unsafe; our neighbour tree rights guide explains the Land and Environment Court process if it comes to that.
What storm-prep pruning costs
Pruning, crown reduction and deadwooding to AS 4373 runs $800–$4,000 ex GST per tree depending on size, access and how much comes off. That is the same tree work that stops a $20,000 insurance claim and a week without a roof. One fixed price after we have seen the tree, no call-out fee, and we tell you honestly if the tree is fine and needs nothing.
If there is a tree you have been meaning to get looked at, now is the month. Send a photo to our quote form or call 0422 023 242 and we will tell you what it needs before the weather does.
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.