Footscray Stump Removal & Tight Access
Stump grinding 300–400 mm below ground in Footscray, including tight-access side paths and courtyards. No regrowth, clean finish.
- Free quotes
- Fully qualified & insured
- 16+ years
Stump removal and tight access in Footscray, done properly
Stumps in Footscray, Seddon, Kingsville and Flemington and the surrounding suburbs are our bread and butter: quick, clean and priced on the diameter and access rather than on the suburb. Fully insured, led by a qualified arborist, and no regrowth — the grinder takes the crown and the surface roots, not just the top.
The nearest suburbs we also cover are Seddon (about a kilometre), Kingsville (2 km), Flemington (2 km), so a job in Footscray is often paired with one next door. 1 of the reviews on this site are from customers in Seddon, Kingsville and Flemington, next door to Footscray.
We measure the stump, check for stones, pipes and cables — Dial Before You Dig where there is any doubt — and set up the grinder. The cutting wheel takes the stump down in passes to 300–400 mm below ground level, then follows the main lateral roots out. The grindings go back into the hole, mounded slightly because they settle, and the surrounding lawn or paving is left clean.
Palm stumps, multi-stem stumps and old stumps that have started to rot each behave differently under the grinder. Palm fibre clogs; multi-stems have a wide root plate; rotten stumps hide voids. We have done thousands in Melbourne’s inner west and price them accordingly, with no surprises on the day.
Stump Removal & Tight Access in Footscray — what we do
Stump grinding
Down to 300–400 mm below ground, surface roots chased out.
Tight-access grinding
Compact and mini machines for side paths and courtyards.
Large & multi-stem stumps
Mature hardwoods, palms and cypress rows.
Backfill & tidy finish
Grindings back in or removed and replaced with soil.
A tip from Api
A stump cut flush is not a stump removed: most species in Footscray gardens will sucker from it, and the roots keep lifting paving. Grinding below the surface is what actually finishes the job.
The full service pages: Stump Removal and Tree & Palm Removal — every one available in Footscray.
Guides from Api: Tree removal cost in Melbourne: what you will pay and how to estimate it · Tree removal and stump grinding: why they go together and what stump grinding costs
Do you need a permit to remove a tree in Footscray?
The rule that applies to a tree in a Footscray garden is the Maribyrnong Significant Tree Register — here is what it says.
Maribyrnong does not run a size-based local law for private trees. What it protects is the Significant Tree Register adopted in September 2021 — 73 individual trees and three pairs on private land, identified by community nomination and assessed by independent arborists — through permanent planning-scheme controls (Amendment C163).
If a tree is on the register, removal or significant pruning needs a planning permit. The register and map are on the council site, and the planning team on 9688 0200 can confirm a particular address.
The state canopy-tree clause applies across the residential zones, so a large tree near the street or rear boundary needs a permit regardless of the register.
Source: Maribyrnong City Council — trees on private property, 9688 0200. Read 13 September 2026; councils change their local laws, so Api checks the current rule when he quotes.
Across Victoria since 15 September 2025
Clause 52.37 Canopy Trees
A canopy tree is a tree more than 5 m tall, with a trunk circumference over 0.5 m at 1.4 m above the ground and a canopy at least 4 m across. In a residential zone a planning permit is needed to remove, destroy or lop one in a residential zone if the lot is vacant, or, where there is an existing house, if any part of the trunk is within 6 m of the narrowest street frontage or 4.5 m of the rear boundary.
Dead trees, emergency and safety works, maintenance pruning and listed weed species are exempt; councils usually condition a permit on planting a replacement canopy tree, and most decide these through VicSmart in about ten business days.
What this means for you: tell Api where the tree sits on the block and he will tell you whether a permit is needed before anything is cut — and where one is, we can prepare the arborist assessment the application needs.
Stump removal jobs by Api and the crew
Real jobs, real photos — Api, the crew and the truck, across Melbourne’s inner west. Nothing staged, nothing stock.
What customers near Footscray say
Mark V
Seddon · Dec 2020
I would recommend this business because they were friendly, professional, communicated well, and were punctual and tidy. The work was of an excellent standard.
Stump removal around Footscray
The same crew, the same day rates, in the suburbs next door:
Other services in Footscray
Tree services made easy
At Aps Tree Removal, we simplify the tree and hedge removal experience with a clear, step-by-step approach.
Contact us
Want to learn more? Call 0422 856 090 or send the form and speak with Api.
Get a quote
Getting a quote is quick, easy, and free.
On-site inspection
A quick, thorough site assessment — species, access and risks.
Professional removal
Clean and safe work, chipped and cleaned up — no mess, no hassle.
What clients across Melbourne’s inner west say
V J
29 Aug 2024
Fantastic service! What a great company! Thank you Api and his amazing team. I have a large gum tree out front that had become a menace to my neighbou…
Joseph Faltas
17 Aug 2024
APi is a great guy , honest and knowledgeable
Scott Cooper
16 Aug 2024
I called to have my tree trimmed. API and team done an excellent job they came on time and cleaned up afterwards. They were very polite and friendly I…
utkarsh singh
14 Aug 2024
Api's been amazing in helping us remove hedges off our property. He is quite honest, friendly & reasonable,always wiling to share the best advise for…
Nik Westbury
8 Aug 2024
The job Api performed was top notch. His professional advice on how the job should be done was much appreciated and the clean up after left no sign of…
Taiwo Adebayo
3 Aug 2024
Excellent job on the Yucca removal and the price was good
Trisha Jenkins
26 July 2024
Api and his team were great. Friendly and responsive. Arrived on time and completed the task well. Would highly recommend.
Benjamin Phiri
24 July 2024
Had Api come around yesterday to trim some trees in the backyard that were getting too high. Api's service was well quoted and went above and beyond o…
Stewart Vong
12 July 2024
Api did an amazing job with our trees. He was very friendly and the work was done to a very high standard. I would highly recommend his services to an…
Thi Tran
11 July 2024
Api did a great job, excellent and very friendly. High recomment.
Alex Tsilemanis
12 June 2024
Api and team removed a couple of trees for us from a tricky narrow space. Great job and customer service, highly recommend.
jojo jojo
29 May 2024
Api did a great job removing and stump grinding big yuccas on the narrow side of my house. Turned up to quote and did the job by himself. Reasonable p…
Footscray Stump Removal & Tight Access — common questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Footscray?
Only if the tree is one of the 73 individual trees and three pairs on the Maribyrnong Significant Tree Register (2021), which now carry permanent planning controls, or if it is a canopy tree near a boundary under the state-wide clause. Otherwise there is no council size rule for private trees in Maribyrnong. Across Victoria, Clause 52.37 Canopy Trees also applies since 15 September 2025: a planning permit is needed to remove, destroy or lop one in a residential zone if the lot is vacant, or, where there is an existing house, if any part of the trunk is within 6 m of the narrowest street frontage or 4.5 m of the rear boundary. Api checks both at the quote.
How much does stump removal cost in Footscray?
Priced per stump by its width at ground level and how the grinder reaches it. Ask for stump grinding on the tree quote if a tree is coming out — it is much cheaper on the same visit.
How long does it take?
Quick — the set-up usually takes longer than the grinding. A few days’ notice is normally enough.
Can you get in if the access is tight?
Yes. Side paths, courtyards, terraces and stumps hard against a fence or wall are the norm in Footscray, and we carry the gear for them.
What happens to the waste?
Grindings in, surplus removed, site tidy. You can also keep the grindings as mulch for the garden beds.
How deep do you grind, and can I plant or pave over the spot?
Standard depth is 300–400 mm, which takes the crown and the top of the root plate. Turf can go on the next day; concrete or a deck footing can go in once the grindings are removed and the hole is filled with compacted soil.