Oatley Park to the river. Rigging crews for steep ground.
Tree Removal & Arborist Oatley
Big Angophoras and gums on steep, tight Oatley blocks are our normal day. AQF Level 5 arborists, $20M public liability, Georges River Council applications handled. Based in Mortdale, five minutes up the road.
★ 5.0 from 71 Google reviewsAQF Level 5 arboristsISO 9001 certified$20M public liability
Big gums on steep, waterfront blocks
Oatley is one of the few suburbs in the St George area that still has real canopy: Sydney Red Gums (Angophora costata), Blackbutts, Turpentines and Scribbly Gums that were here before the houses, especially on the peninsula streets running down to the Georges River and around Oatley Park. Those are protected trees on steep, awkward blocks, often with a boatshed, a pool or a neighbour’s roof directly underneath. It is not felling work; it is rigging work.
That is what we set up for. Every Oatley removal is planned as a sectional dismantle: climber in the tree, rigging lines to a lowering device, ground crew catching each piece, everything chipped or carried out. Where a crane can reach we use one, because it is faster and safer than hand-rigging a 25 m gum over a house. Where it cannot, we rig.
We also write the council reports Oatley homeowners need. Georges River Council protects anything over 3 m, and most Oatley removals need an AQF Level 5 arborist’s report to be approved. We write them in-house and we tell you before you pay whether the tree is likely to be approved.
Council, terrain and native fauna in Oatley
Council: Georges River Council. Protected once a tree is 3 m tall, 100 mm across at ground level or 3 m wide. Deadwooding and hedge trimming are exempt; dead trees are not. Oatley also has trees on the council’s Significant Tree Register and some heritage-listed properties around the village, where removal needs a stronger case and more evidence.
Terrain: The peninsula streets fall away hard toward the river. Steep driveways, sandstone outcrops and rear yards that are a full storey below the street are normal. Our crews rig everything from above and carry timber out by hand where a machine cannot reach; on the bigger jobs we use a crane from the street and lift over the roof.
Native fauna: Old gums around Oatley Park and the foreshore often have hollows. Council will ask about them and so will we; hollow-bearing limbs are checked before anything is cut and retained where it is safe to do so.
Recent Oatley jobs
Our own photos from Oatley jobs.
- Pool-fence compliance trim (900 mm non-climbable zone) plus removal of cactus, agave and shrubs from a pool area — hand-dug so nothing regrows, area levelled.
- AQF Level 5 arborist report on a Dragon Tree for a Georges River Council application.
- Waterfront job below Oatley Park: canopy management of three Angophoras beside a boatshed and environmental weed removal along the foreshore.
- Cocos palm removed by climber from a tight rear yard, all fronds and trunk carried out.
Tree services in Oatley
Large gum removals on steep blocks
Angophoras and Blackbutts over houses, pools and boatsheds. Rigged down in sections or craned from the street. See tree removal.
Waterfront canopy management
Selective pruning of foreshore trees for safety and light without the kind of hacking that gets homeowners fined. Environmental weeds removed to the standard the council asks for.
Council reports for tricky trees
Oatley trees are often protected, healthy and simply in the wrong place. We write reports that give the council a proper reason. See arborist reports.
Pool compliance and palms
The 900 mm non-climbable zone around pool fences, Cocos and Bangalow palm removal, and the tidy-up after. See palm removal.
Georges River Council tree rules for Oatley at a glance
| Question | What Council says |
|---|---|
| Is it a protected tree? | Yes if it is 3 m or taller, or 100 mm or more across at ground level, or has a branch spread of 3 m or more. Work on any part of it, roots included, needs approval unless exempt |
| What is exempt? | Hedge pruning and reshaping, pruning out deadwood, priority weeds, Council’s exempt species, fruit trees (not natives such as Lilly Pilly or Blueberry Ash), and trees under 3 m tall with under 3 m spread |
| Dangerous tree? | An imminently dangerous tree assessed by an AQF Level 5 arborist can come out first, with Council’s Exempt Tree Works Form lodged within 72 hours |
| How long does approval take? | Council aims to decide within 18 weeks |
| Refused? | A review can be lodged within 6 months, with new information such as an AQF Level 5 arborist’s report |
Keep evidence of any exempt work for at least 2 years. Full details on the Georges River Council tree management page and in our Georges River Council tree removal guide.
Oatley tree questions
My Angophora is over the house. Can it be removed?
Sometimes. Georges River Council wants evidence of risk or damage, not just size. We assess it honestly first; often a reduction and deadwood program keeps the tree and satisfies the council, and costs a fraction of removal.
How do you get a big tree out of a steep Oatley backyard?
From the top down. A climber dismantles it in sections onto rigging lines, the ground crew lowers each piece and cuts it small enough to carry or chip. On a street-accessible job we bring a crane and lift over the roof instead — usually a day instead of two.
Do you do the pool certification trimming?
Yes. We clear the 900 mm non-climbable zone around the fence and remove anything a child could use to climb, and we know what the certifier checks.
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.
Need a landscaper in Oatley too?
The same True Roots crew that handles your trees also builds gardens, turf, retaining walls, paving and outdoor areas in Oatley. 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.
A gum over the house in Oatley?
Send a photo from the yard and one from the street so we can see access. We call back the same day with a plan and a 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.