Did you know that certain trees are protected under the ‘Tree Protection Local Law’ due to their circumference? Canopy trees with this large circumference can provide biodiversity, shade and privacy on private land. Canopy trees have a circumference of 110cm or more, measured 1.5m above ground level; or 150cm or more at ground level. Not sure if your tree is a canopy tree? Contact your local council to check its protection status.

The definition of a ‘significant tree’ and tree protection criteria can vary from council to council. Some councils will define a tree to be significant due to its size, circumference or species. The significance of a tree can depend on their horticultural, ecological and aesthetic value, location or context, age, rarity, or certain cultural or historical significance. A significant tree can be on private or public land and receive extra protection under the ‘Tree Protection Local Law’.
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Did you know that anyone can nominate a tree that may qualify as a  significant tree and have it added onto their local council’s Significant Tree Register by Council resolution? Whether it is located on private or public land, you can contact your local council for more information.

There is no standard answer that will fit every possible scenario, as every site and circumstance is unique. The best way forward is to always seek the help of a tree professional to help advocate and understand the situation and to suggest the best possible path forward – both from the tree’s health, sustainability and longevity perspective, but also from a neighbourhood relationship perspective.

Some trees in this scenario are protected by local councils, and some trees' form and structure grow in such a manner as to prohibit ‘pruning the tree back to the fence line’, as it may lead to a potential risk of over-pruning the tree and or detrimentally impacting the tree’s health.

Generally speaking, neighbouring tree branches can be pruned back to fence line, or just beyond, or as discussed and approved by the owner, to attempt to best meet Australian arboricultural pruning standards and practices. These branches can then be given back to your neighbour, as they belong to them.

However, the practice of pruning your neighbour’s tree branches and then throwing them back over their fence is not a practice that we recommend. We highly suggest calling us to come and help find a reasonable solution, mediating for the best scenario moving forward, which may include pruning and removing branches with both parties contributing to the cost.

If in doubt, we recommend seeking advice from a suitably qualified legal professional.

It is unlawful to prune or remove council-owned trees and formal charges can be issued if you are caught doing the wrong thing. The best option is to have the local council come and assess the tree on its merits to the streetscape, its longevity and its perceived impact to your property. The tree should hopefully either be scheduled to be pruned or removed depending on the severity of the impact or the health of the tree.

Different local authorities will protect their assets or public spaces differently. Some local councils will send you a letter and request that you prune your trees back from protruding the public footpath, by a certain date or you may be fined.  

Normally speaking, Vic Roads have an obligation to prune trees to a certain height that grow over roads, to ensure emergency vehicle access, but this isn’t to stop you being proactive in this manner, especially if your tree is not protected by local council planning or laws. Often, houses are in estates that are managed by body corporate entities for the purpose of having an independent body to manage scenarios like this, and we are called in to present a pictorial job report with recommendation for pruning of this nature.

The person who owns the tree may or may not have the desire, understanding, or funds to have their tree maintained. Depending on the scope and severity of the impact that the tree is having on you or your common fence line, you may wish to have us come out and assess the tree in question, to help write a report outlining some possible best scenarios or options moving forward, as the tree could be protected by the local council.

There is no standard answer that will fit every possible scenario, as every site and circumstance is unique. The best way forward is to always seek the help of a tree professional to help advocate and understand the situation and to suggest the best possible path forward -- both from the tree’s health, sustainability and longevity perspective, but also from a neighbourhood relationship perspective.

Some trees in this scenario are protected by local councils, and some trees’ form and structure grow in such a manner as to prohibit ‘pruning the tree back to the fence line’, as it may lead to a potential risk of over-pruning the tree and or detrimentally impacting the tree’s health.

Generally speaking, neighbouring tree branches can be pruned back to fence line, or just beyond, or as discussed and approved by the owner, to attempt to best meet Australian arboricultural pruning standards and practices. These branches can then be given back to your neighbour, as they belong to them.

However, the practice of pruning your neighbour’s tree branches and then throwing them back over their fence is not a practice that we recommend. We highly suggest calling us to come and help find a reasonable solution, mediating for the best scenario moving forward, which may include pruning and removing branches with both parties contributing to the cost.

If in doubt we recommend seeking the advice of a suitably qualified legal professional

There is no standard answer that will fit every possible scenario, as every site and circumstance is unique. The best way forward is to always seek the help of a tree professional to help advocate and understand the situation and to suggest the best possible path forward -- both from the tree’s health, sustainability and longevity perspective, but also from a neighbourhood relationship perspective.

Some trees in this scenario are protected by local councils, and some trees’ form and structure grow in such a manner as to prohibit ‘pruning the tree back to the fence line’, as it may lead to a potential risk of over-pruning the tree and or detrimentally impacting the tree’s health.

Generally speaking, neighbouring tree branches can be pruned back to fence line, or just beyond, or as discussed and approved by the owner, to attempt to best meet Australian arboricultural pruning standards and practices. These branches can then be given back to your neighbour, as they belong to them.

However, the practice of pruning your neighbour’s tree branches and then throwing them back over their fence is not a practice that we recommend. We highly suggest calling us to come and help find a reasonable solution, mediating for the best scenario moving forward, which may include pruning and removing branches with both parties contributing to the cost.

If in doubt we recommend seeking the advice of a suitably qualified legal professional.

This is a common problem that we hear in our line of work. Every site context, situation and tree species is different and careful consideration needs to be taken in order to determine the best course of action.

Sometimes, there are multiple options available, including pruning back some roots and installing a root barrier. Another option may be to prune back more overhead branches from the tree to slow the growth of the roots below the ground, as the more leaves on the tree, the greater volume of photosynthesis happens, and the quicker the roots will grow. However, care needs to be taken with pruning branches back as over-pruning can kill the tree. Removing a tree can also be an option worth considering if this is appropriate.  

Pruning tree roots is an invasive exercise and must be done with care as exposing the roots to air-born bacteria can cause infection to the tree. If you decide to excavate the soil and cut the tree roots, you need to ensure that this is kept to a minimum <10-15% of the critical root zone (CRZ), to ensure that there is no detrimental impact to the tree. Another point of concern to this exercise is to not excavate so much that you cause the tree to be unstable and at risk of collapsing.

Victorian court laws acknowledge that trees drop debris as part of the standard tree life cycle, such as leaves, fruit, sap, bark, sticks and flowers. These types of debris do not qualify as a private nuisance. However, working with your neighbour to find a maintenance solution or cutting back parts of the tree that are encroaching on your property can be worked out. At Hive Tree Services, we are happy to work with both you and your neighbours to organise maintenance for common trees.

Different local authorities will protecttheir assets or public spaces differently. Some local councils will send you aletter and request that you prune your trees back from protruding the public footpath, by a certain date or you may be fined.

Normally speaking, Vic Roads has an obligation to prune trees to a certain height that grow over roads, to ensure emergency vehicle access, but this isn’t to stop you being proactive in this manner, especially if your tree is not protected by local council planning or laws. Often, houses are in estates that are managed by body corporate entities for the purpose of having an independent body to manage scenarios like this, and we are called in to present a pictorial job report with recommendation for pruning of this nature.

The person who owns the tree may or may not have the desire, understanding, or funds to have their tree maintained. Depending on the scope and severity of the impact that the tree is having on you or your common fence line, you may wish to have us come out and assess the tree in question, to help write a report outlining some possible best scenarios or options moving forward, as the tree could be protected by the local council.

There is no standard answer  that will fit every possible scenario, as every site and circumstance is unique. The best way forward is to always seek the help of a tree professional to help advocate and understand the situation and to suggest the best possible path forward – both from the tree’s health, sustainability and longevity perspective, but also from a neighbourhood relationship perspective.

Some trees in this scenario are  protected by local councils, and some trees’ form and structure grow in such a manner as to prohibit ‘pruning the tree back to the fence line’, as it may lead to a potential risk of over-pruning the tree and or detrimentally  impacting the tree’s health.

From a general legal point of view, neighbouring tree branches can be pruned back to  fence line, or just beyond, or as discussed and approved by the owner, to attempt to best meet Australian arboricultural pruning standards and  practices. These branches can then be given back to your neighbour, as they belong to them.

However, the practice of  pruning your neighbour’s tree branches and then throwing them back over their fence is not a practice that we recommend. We highly suggest calling us to  come and help find a reasonable solution, mediating for the best scenario  moving forward, which may include pruning and removing branches with both  parties contributing to the cost.

If in doubt, we recommend you speak with a suitably qualified legal professional.

There is no standard answer that will fit every possible scenario, as every site and circumstance is unique. The best way forward is to always seek the help of a tree professional to help advocate and understand the situation and to suggest the best possible path forward – both from the tree’s health, sustainability and longevity perspective, but also from a neighbourhood relationship perspective.

Some trees in this scenario are  protected by local councils, and some trees’ form and structure grow in such a manner as to prohibit ‘pruning the tree back to the fence line’, as it may lead to a potential risk of over-pruning the tree and or detrimentally  impacting the tree’s health.

From a general legal point of view, neighbouring tree branches can be pruned back to fence line, or just beyond, or as discussed and approved by the owner, to attempt to best meet Australian arboricultural pruning standards and  practices. These branches can then be given back to your neighbour, as they belong to them.

However, the practice of  pruning your neighbour’s tree branches and then throwing them back over their fence is not a practice that we recommend. We highly suggest calling us to  come and help find a reasonable solution, mediating for the best scenario  moving forward, which may include pruning and removing branches with both parties contributing to the cost.

If in doubt, we recommend you speak with a suitably qualified legal professional.

The local council has the challenging task of upholding the balance of the biodiversity, neighbourhood characteristics and as well as the  health and safety of trees in their municipality, both in the private and  public spaces.

When you lodge an application to the local council for permission to remove a protected tree, you will need supporting evidence and reasons why you require the tree to be removed. The council has the task of  assessing the evidence presented to them with an application, which normally  includes the tree’s value to the neighbourhood character, its longevity or  lifespan, its form, structural integrity, health and the impact that the tree  is having or likely to have on its environment or built form around it. In some cases, a rejection may have happened due to a lack of evidence, good reasoning or the value of the tree to the streetscape outweighs any potential  threat or future damage.

A good second option to removing a tree is to have it formatively pruned in order to improve its health, safety, form, aesthetic appearance, and to slow the growth of the tree and its impact to its environment.

Once you have established that your tree is protected, you may be permitted to have your tree pruned by a suitably qualified arborist if it is within the scope of arboriculture standard pruning. The scope of lower canopy branch uplift pruning, removing any obvious dead and defective or crossing branches all typically fall within works that local councils give permission for.  

Some councils are happy to give permission based on our pictorial job report, as we clearly specify which branches we plan to remove, and give justification for the work. This does save our clients additional cost of engaging a separate consulting arborist to assess each tree.

Sometimes local councils do require the consulting arborist reports to be submitted with an application for a tree removal or heavy weight reduction prune. The local authority has the challenging task of upholding the balance of the biodiversity, neighbourhood characteristics as well as the health and safety of trees in their municipality, both in the private and public spaces.  

In most cases, your local council supplies all necessary application forms on their respective websites. A link to council sites and key information can be found here.

Each local council has different ways that they protect trees and for different reasons. Some councils will protect trees using the town planning overlays, some using local laws, and others a mixture of both town planning and local laws.

Not all trees are protected. Some trees can be removed, and others pruned without the need to obtain any special planning permit or local law approval process.

In general terms, local councils understand that trees require maintenance, and they are not averse to pruning trees that are touching your dwelling, your service wires or that are obstructing access to and from your property.

We encourage people to double check tree permit requirements with their local council if they are ever in doubt. A summary of local council contacts and key information can be found here.

Yes, subject to this being arranged in advance and the delivery cost covered.

Yes, removal of mulch can be done as part of the service, and we typically take the mulch to school, nurseries and green waste recycling centres.

Yes, of course!

Yes, we take pride in the way we leave each job, completing a thorough clean-up and tidying process.

Before we begin our job on-site, we go through a process as a team to identify risks and how to manage them. We do our best to remove any valuables on-site, such as potted plants, statues, seating arrangements or clothes lines in order to minimise damage to your garden. Upon finishing the tree work, we place all belongings back to their original spots and we do a thorough job to clean the site prior to us leaving. One of the most consistent comments we receive in our post-work satisfaction surveys is that our team took the time to ensure that the site was left in a neat and presentable manner.  

We can provide advice and a free quote for what to do with your tree which is affecting your powerlines. In many cases, the tree in question doesn’t need to be removed but just needs a careful prune, keeping the tree happy and healthy while protecting your power lines and other service wires.

There are many reasons you may want to move a tree or shrub, such as wanting shade in a different area of your property, needing to move a tree for a building project, or wanting to move your plant to a sunnier spot. Transplanting a tree can be atraumatic experience for a tree or shrub, but in some cases, transplanting a tree can be very successful. However, transplanting trees for people is not a service we provide at this stage.

If a particular tree requires a council permit to begin with, you will need to get one before any trimming can happen to the tree. Trimming and pruning a tree correctly is crucial. When it becomes necessary to modify the height or spread of a tree, consult or hire a professional arborist. An arborist will determine the type of pruning that is necessary to maintain or improve the health, appearance and safety of your tree.

Hive Tree Services offers a wide range of services to deal with tree cutting, maintenance, pruning, removal and other complex tree-related issues. For more information on our services, refer to our Services Page.

We mulch the branches and cuttings on site and either leave the mulch with you if you require it or take it with us.

Some people gather or purchase timber all year round for burning in their combustible fireplaces to keep their houses warm. Our standard business practice is to cut timber from our clients’ trees into one-foot rounds and smaller if specifically requested, when the tree trunks have larger diameters. Timber from green-leafy trees typically need a hot season to dry out before being ready to burn. We do use the services of a timber miller from time to time in order to recycle certain species and sizes of tree trunks that can be reclaimed for construction or aesthetic purposes.

This depends on the scope of your tree work. If there are specifics around your tree/s which you would prefer to chat with us about in person, then being present when we quote your tree work on site is recommended. However, if you don’t need to be home, then our admin team will communicate your tree-related needs to our site supervisors so that we can accurately relay the scope and cost of your tree work in our pictorial job report.  

Depending on the size and complexity of your job, we will bring an appropriate number of staff to complete your tree works. This ensures the safety of our team members, and also that your works are completed efficiently. If you would like information on the exact number of staff members attending your job, feel free to give our friendly admin team a call on 1300464 483 who will happily provide you the number of staff and names of those attending.

In most cases, yes, but at  other times, no. It depends on where the needs are for any given day.

We want to give you a thorough and correct estimate/quote, which we do for free at your property on a day that suits you. Unfortunately, we are not able to do this over the phone, due to the nature of variations in trees, conditions, growth and tree health.

Every job is unique and the cost for your tree work will depend on the scope of work and what is required.

Based in the Kilsyth area of the outer east of Melbourne, we cover most South-East and Inner South-East Melbourne areas. If you are wondering whether we service your area, please give our friendly admin staff a call.

Hive Tree Services is considering what it looks like to adopt carbon-neutral business practices, and we are committed to a process of recycling waste and acting in a responsible and environmentally-friendly manner in all we do.

Hive Tree Services carries $50 million in Public Liability Insurance.

Hive Tree Services was officially registered and launched in January 2012 as a family business. You can read more about our story here.

We operate with a number of consulting arborists who can assess your diseased or infested tree. Reach out to us to find out more.

The height of the wasp nest above the ground will determine the next course of action. If the nest is in a tree that you need removed, we can possibly connect you with someone who removes wasp and bee nests as a hobby.

We love bees at Hive Tree Services, so much so that they inspired the name of our company. However, it can be worrying if a swarm of bees have taken up residence in one of your trees, especially if you have kids or pets around. Unfortunately, many pest control options can harm or kill the bees. Our team at Hive Tree Services can recommend bee-friendly removal services and check on the health of your tree. Give us a call today on 1300 464 483.

Here are some of our tips to deter cockatoos:

- Tie hanging CDs from your trees.

- Create a scarecrow or kite which looks like a bird of prey.

- Hang netting over the area, or string fishing line to make it harder for them to land.

- Have a water hose or bottle ready to give them a quick spray.

Whether you love them or loathe them, possums are a protected  species.  

These territorial marsupials love to eat fruit crop, fresh buds  and new growth from trees and are quite partial to deciduous trees.  Unfortunately, possums taking a fancy to your favourite tree can lead to the  tree’s demise.

Here are a few ways to protect your trees from possums:

> Block all access points into the tree. Possums are excellent and  creative climbers, so ensure that you block their access from service wires,  roof structures, fences and from all other trees. Get branches trimmed so  they are far enough away, more than 2 metres, to discourage possums from  jumping into them.  

> Deter climbing. In combination with blocking all access, make it  difficult for them to climb the tree from a fence and the ground with the installation of a possum guard around the trunk.  

Let’s work together to protect your trees. Call us today.

Usually, a koala will move on within a day or two, unless there is danger present which would prevent the koala from making its way back down the tree. Make sure you remove dogs from the area for at least 24 hours so the koala can feel safe to move on. Also alert your neighbours if they have dogs.

If you need further advice or information, contact Wildlife Victoria.

Yes, we specialise in providing services to businesses and offer comprehensive quotes and recommendations.

Yes, we pride ourselves in providing reports and undertaking work for such entities and offer a free and comprehensive written quotation.