Mortdale based. Sydney wide. 15 years on the tools.
Tree Services St Ives
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
Blue Gum High Forest, bush-edge blocks and some of the tallest trees in any Sydney suburb.
St Ives holds the largest remaining stand of Blue Gum High Forest in Sydney, around Dalrymple-Hay Nature Reserve and Browns Forest, and Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest along Mona Vale Road. Both are critically endangered ecological communities, and that changes what you can do with a tree on your block. The suburb also runs into Garigal National Park and Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, so bushfire rules and 10/50 eligibility come into play on the edge streets. Our crews work St Ives from Mortdale with the same AQF Level 5 arborist writing the application and the report.
What is different about St Ives trees
Ku-ring-gai Council says “less than five per cent of BGHF now remains”, that Sydney Blue Gums reach “heights of up to 30 metres”, and that the largest remnant is around Dalrymple-Hay and Browns Forest in St Ives. If your block is mapped as BGHF or STIF, the usual DCP exemptions do not apply and a removal goes through a development application with an arborist report — even the 10/50 bushfire code excludes critically endangered communities. Outside the mapped areas the normal Ku-ring-gai rules apply: 5 m or 150 mm trunk triggers protection, 3 m from the house is exempt, and Liquidambars over 12 m need a permit.
Do you need Ku-ring-gai Council approval in St Ives?
Almost always, yes. Ku-ring-gai protects any tree “5 metres or more in height” or with a trunk of 150 mm or more at ground level, and the DCP says the injury of a protected tree “is prohibited without the written consent of Council”. The rules that matter most in St Ives:
- Exempt: trees within 3 m of an existing dwelling (trunk centre to the wall; verandahs, carports and detached garages do not count); branches up to 50 mm in diameter; completely dead branches; branches directly over the roof line cut back to the nearest junction; and the exempt species table — privet, cocos palm, African olive, umbrella tree and Liquidambar only under 12 m, among others.
- Not exempt: a dead tree. Council says “no work can be carried out on a dead tree until Council has confirmed in writing the tree is dead”, and that it is not habitat.
- Fees: $88 to apply to remove one tree, $44 to prune, $13 for each additional tree, non-refundable. Council states “An Arborist Report is NOT required to submit an application” — but for a big or contested tree one is what gets it approved, and Council requires AQF Level 5 if one is supplied. Ours are $1,500–$2,000 ex GST.
- Reasons Council will not accept: leaf, flower or fruit drop, views, “tree too large”, or pruning to reduce height. It will accept a demonstrated likelihood of failure, a life expectancy under five years, and pruning for health and structure.
- No exemptions at all on a heritage item, inside a heritage conservation area, on Biodiversity Values Map land or in a critically endangered ecological community — those go through a development application.
- Penalties are real: in 2026 a Killara owner was fined $10,000 plus $4,800 costs in Hornsby Local Court (reported June 2026) for removing a 24 m Norfolk Island pine without consent, and Council issues penalty notices of $3,000 (individual) and $6,000 (company).
We check your tree against the exemptions, lodge the application with the photos and site plan Council asks for, and write the arborist report where it is the difference between approved and refused. Full detail in our Ku-ring-gai Council tree removal guide.
Tree services in St Ives
Tree removal
Big gums, liquidambars and pines over houses, pools and neighbours: climbed and rigged down in sections, or craned where the block allows. Council permit lodged first.
Pruning and crown reduction
To AS 4373: deadwood, weight reduction on long limbs, clearance from roofs and powerlines, formative pruning of young trees. Not lopping — Council will not approve it.
AQF Level 5 arborist reports
Tree applications, DA conditions, AS 4970 impact assessments and tree protection plans for the big-block renovations Ku-ring-gai is full of.
Stump grinding
Our own 90hp Rayco for big stumps and a narrow Red Roo tight-access grinder for side passages and pool surrounds.
Land clearing and bushfire work
Block clearing for a rebuild, asset-protection zones on bush-edge streets, and 10/50 work where the RFS tool confirms you are eligible.
Storm and emergency
24/7 make-safe after a limb comes down on the house or the driveway. Make-safe of an imminent danger is exempt; we document it for Council afterwards.
Our Ku-ring-gai work
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 tree work costs in St Ives
Ku-ring-gai trees are bigger than the Sydney average, so most quotes here sit in the upper bands. Small tree or palm under 5 m: $300–$900 ex GST. Medium tree 5–10 m with the stump ground: $1,500–$4,000. Large or hazardous tree over 10 m: $5,000–$25,000+ — rigging or a crane over the house, two to three days, traffic control where needed. Pruning and crown reduction: $800–$4,000. Stump grinding: $300–$900 a stump. AQF Level 5 report: $1,500–$2,000. Land clearing: $6,000–$25,000, mulch left on site free. Council’s $88 or $44 application fee is on top and we show it separately. More than one tree, an impact assessment for a development, or a council application add to the total. One fixed price after we have seen the tree, no call-out fee.
A recent St Ives job
A 20 m Liquidambar over a swimming pool with hard rear access and the neighbour’s roof under the drop zone: quoted as a three-day rigged dismantle with a large crew. Ku-ring-gai exempts Liquidambars only under 12 m, so it goes through Council first. It is the kind of St Ives job that gets priced as a large-tree removal, and the reason we send the arborist, not a salesperson, to look at it.
St Ives tree questions
Is my St Ives tree in Blue Gum High Forest?
Check Council’s Biodiversity Values Map and the DCP maps, or ask us — we check the mapping before we quote. Blocks around Dalrymple-Hay Nature Reserve, Browns Forest and the Mona Vale Road STIF strip are the ones most often affected.
Can I use the 10/50 rule in St Ives?
Only if the RFS online tool says your property is in an entitlement area, the tree trunk is within 10 m of the building, and the tree is not in a critically endangered community. Run the tool on the day and keep the result; we do the same.
How long does a Ku-ring-gai tree permit take?
Council does not publish a turnaround, and we will not invent one. In our experience a complete application with photos, a site plan and the owner’s consent form moves faster than one Council has to send back. We lodge it complete.
Can I prune branches over my roof without a permit?
Yes, in Ku-ring-gai: branches directly overhanging the roof of the house may be removed if cut back to the nearest branch junction or collar. Garages and carports are excluded, and anything bigger than clearance pruning still needs an application.
Is a dead tree exempt in Ku-ring-gai?
No. Council must confirm in writing that the tree is dead and is not habitat before any work. We send the photos and request the confirmation for you.
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 tree in St Ives that needs a decision?
Send a few photos and your street. We tell you whether Council needs to approve it, lodge the application, and give you one fixed price.