Tree Removal
Full removals on tight coastal blocks, including dismantles by rope and crane-assisted lifts.
Learn more →Palms are not trees, and the job shows it
Structurally, a palm is a single column with a growing point at the top and no branches to rig from. There is nothing to tie into halfway up except the trunk itself, no lateral limbs to take the load, and no useful chip. Every section that comes off has to be controlled from the trunk and lowered whole.
That is why a ten-metre cocos in a Bondi courtyard can take longer than a ten-metre gum with the same access. It is also why some crews quote palms as an afterthought and then discover the disposal cost on the day.
The three palms we see most
Cocos (queen) palm — everywhere across the Eastern Suburbs, planted heavily from the 1970s. It is a declared environmental weed problem in Sydney: the seed is spread into bushland and reserves by flying foxes. Most removals we do are cocos, and they are the ones most likely to be exempt from council controls.
Canary Island date palm — the big, heavy, spined one in older Randwick and Woollahra gardens. Removal is a serious job because the trunk is enormously dense and the crown is wide and armed. Cleaning is a regular maintenance item.
Bangalow palm — the slender native clumping palm that does well in sheltered courtyards in Paddington and Double Bay. Rarely a removal problem; mostly it is dead frond and seed cleanup, plus thinning out self-sown seedlings.
What we do with them
- Full removal in sections, with the trunk cut down and carted out.
- Crown cleaning — dead fronds, seed pods and skirt removed.
- Seed pod removal before flowering, which cuts the mess and slows the spread.
- Stump treatment, or a grind if you want to replant the spot. See stump grinding.
What we will not do
We will not spike a palm we are cleaning rather than removing. Spikes punch permanent holes in a trunk that cannot heal over, and they open the palm to rot and pest entry — climbing irons only come out when the palm is coming down. We also will not cut the top out of a healthy palm to "reduce" it, because that simply kills it slowly and leaves you paying for a removal later anyway.
Booking it
Palm work often pairs with a general tidy-up, so it is worth quoting alongside any pruning or tree removal on the same visit. Pricing sits in the cost guide, and if the palm is protected under a local control the permit guide covers the application.
Call (02) 9538 7842, or send a photo with something in the frame for scale.
More services
Explore our other services
Tree Lopping & Pruning
Crown reduction, deadwooding and clearance pruning done to keep the tree alive and stable.
Learn more →Stump Grinding
Stumps ground below ground level so you can turf, pave or replant over the top.
Learn more →Emergency & Storm Work
Fallen limbs, split trunks and trees on roofs after a southerly or an east coast low.
Learn more →Arborist Reports
AQF Level 5 reports for council applications, development consent and neighbour disputes.
Learn more →
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Do I need council approval to remove a cocos palm?
Often not. The cocos or queen palm is treated as an environmental weed across Sydney because flying foxes and birds spread its seed into bushland, and several councils exempt it from their tree preservation controls for that reason. Exemptions vary between Waverley, Randwick and Woollahra, so confirm with your council before the saw comes out.
Why is palm removal priced differently to a tree?
A palm has no branch structure to rig from and no wood that chips well. The trunk comes down in heavy, dense sections that have to be lowered individually and then carried out whole, because a chipper will not take them. Disposal is the expensive part — palm waste is bulky, wet and not accepted everywhere green waste is.
Can a palm be pruned instead of removed?
Yes, and for Canary Island date palms and Bangalows that is usually the right answer. Cleaning removes dead fronds, seed pods and the fibrous skirt that harbours rats and wasps. What cannot be done is cutting the top out to reduce height — a palm grows from a single growing point, so removing it kills the palm.
Are palm fronds dangerous?
A mature Canary Island date frond weighs several kilograms and has spines at the base that carry bacteria, and cocos seed pods come down in clusters. Over a footpath, a driveway or a pool that is a genuine hazard, which is why regular cleaning is worth booking before the summer storms rather than after.
Free, no-obligation