Our home suburb. Crew and machinery two minutes away.
Tree Removal & Arborist Mortdale
True Roots is based in Mortdale, so a site visit here is usually same day. AQF Level 5 arborists, $20M public liability, Georges River Council permits handled. Removal, pruning, stumps and the landscaping afterwards.
★ 5.0 from 71 Google reviewsAQF Level 5 arboristsISO 9001 certified$20M public liability
Local Mortdale arborists
Most of the tree companies that show up for “tree removal Mortdale” are driving in from the Shire or the west. We are on Junction Street. That matters for the small things — we can look at a tree on the way home, we know which streets Ausgrid has been through, and we know Georges River Council’s tree team by name because we lodge applications with them every month.
Mortdale’s housing stock is mostly 1950s and 60s blocks with big established trees that were planted when the house went in: Jacarandas, Liquidambars, Camphor Laurels, the odd Norfolk Pine, and a lot of Brush Box and Bottlebrush on the nature strips. Sixty years on, plenty of them are now over the roof, into the sewer line or lifting the driveway. That is the bulk of our work here — taking them down in sections without touching the house, grinding the stump below turf, and quite often rebuilding the lawn or garden bed the tree left behind.
We also do the paperwork. In Georges River anything over 3 metres tall needs council approval to remove, and the council wants an AQF Level 5 arborist’s report with the application. Ours are written in-house by our AQF Level 5 arborist, and we answer any questions council has about it.
Tree services in Mortdale
Removals over the house
Jacarandas, Liquidambars and Camphor Laurels that have outgrown a 550 m² block. Rigged down in pieces, lowered onto mats, chipped in the driveway. See tree removal.
Council reports and applications
Georges River Council tree applications with the AQF Level 5 report attached. We tell you honestly whether a removal will be approved before you pay for the report. See arborist reports.
Stumps and the lawn afterwards
Stump ground out below turf level, hole backfilled and compacted, turf or garden bed put back the same day. See stump grinding.
Pruning to the standard
Crown reduction, deadwood and clearance pruning to AS 4373 — not lopping. Gutter and roof clearance is the most common request on Mortdale’s older streets. See tree pruning.
Mortdale and nearby suburbs
Photos are from our own jobs. We do not use stock images.
- Mature Blackbutt craned out over the house in Lugarno, 10 minutes from the depot — two days, traffic control, permit through Georges River.
- Pool-fence compliance trim and shrub removal in Oatley so the pool passed its certification.
- AS 4970 root-mapping impact assessment for a pool DA in Penshurst, answering the council’s request for information.
- Turpentine selectively pruned over a house in Connells Point — no permit needed because we kept it inside the exempt pruning.
Georges River Council tree rules
Council: Mortdale is Georges River Council. Under its Tree Management Policy a tree is protected once it is 3 m tall, 100 mm across at ground level or has a 3 m branch spread, so almost every tree on a Mortdale block needs approval to remove. Deadwooding and hedge trimming are exempt. A dead tree is not automatically exempt here. An imminently dangerous tree can be removed first and reported within 72 hours, but only with an AQF Level 5 arborist confirming the hazard — which is us. Fines start at $1,500 for an individual.
Access: Side access on the old Mortdale blocks is typically 900 mm to 1.2 m, which rules out a big machine. We run a compact loader and a tracked chipper that fit down a side path, and rig everything else by hand. Rear-yard removals cost more than front-yard ones for that reason; we say so in the quote rather than surprising you on the day.
Powerlines: Much of Mortdale still has overhead lines along the street and across rear boundaries. Our crews are trained for vegetation work near powerlines and we handle the Ausgrid clearance pruning that homeowners get notices about.
Prices from our own 2026 jobs
| Job | Typical price (ex GST) | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| Small tree or palm removal (under 5 m) | $300 – $900 | Front-yard access is the cheap end; rear access or a stump adds to it. |
| Medium tree removal (5–10 m) with stump ground | $1,500 – $4,000 | Sectional dismantle near a driveway, boundary or pool, waste removed. |
| Large or hazardous tree removal (10 m+) | $5,000 – $25,000+ | Rigging or crane over the house, two to three days, traffic control where needed. |
| Pruning, crown reduction, deadwood | $800 – $4,000 | To AS 4373. Powerline clearance and pool-fence compliance trims sit at the low end. |
| Stump grinding (per stump) | $300 – $900 | Ground below turf level; root treatment and backfill on request. |
| AQF Level 5 arborist report for council | $1,500 – $2,000 | Written to each council’s requirements. Note: Sutherland Shire asks for a report independent of the tree contractor. AS 4970 impact assessments quoted per site. |
| Land clearing and vegetation removal | $6,000 – $25,000 | Whole blocks, bushfire zones, invasive species. Mulch left on site is free. |
Taken from our own 2026 invoices, not a national average. Every job is quoted as one fixed price after we see it. Full breakdown in the tree removal cost guide.
Mortdale tree questions
How fast can you get to a Mortdale job?
Usually the same day for a look and a quote, because we are based here. Storm damage in Mortdale, Penshurst, Oatley or Peakhurst is normally on site within the hour.
Do I need Georges River Council approval to remove my tree?
If it is over 3 m tall, almost certainly yes. We check it against the exempt species list first (Camphor Laurel under 6 m, Cocos Palm and a few others are exempt), then prepare the report and lodge for you if it is protected.
Can you take the tree down and fix the yard in one job?
Yes, and it is cheaper that way. Stump ground, hole filled, levels fixed, turf or garden bed laid — same crew, same day where the site allows. See landscape construction.
Landscaping in Mortdale
The same True Roots crew that handles your trees also builds gardens, turf, retaining walls, paving and outdoor areas in Mortdale. One crew, one quote, from tree removal to a finished garden. See our landscaping work in 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.
Tree trouble in Mortdale?
Send a photo of the tree and your street. We will walk over, look at it, and give you one fixed price.
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.