Gowanbrae Tree Removal & Pruning
Tree and palm removal and expert pruning in Gowanbrae by a qualified, insured arborist — free quotes, 7 days a week.
- Free quotes
- Fully qualified & insured
- 16+ years
Tree removal and pruning in Gowanbrae, done properly
Whether it is one overgrown tree in a Gowanbrae backyard or a whole block that needs clearing, Aps Tree Removal quotes it free, explains what is involved, and books it for a day that suits you. Api is a qualified arborist with more than 16 years on the tools, and the business is fully insured.
The nearest suburbs we also cover are Gladstone Park (about a kilometre), Tullamarine (2 km), Airport West (3 km), so a job in Gowanbrae is often paired with one next door. One of the reviews on this site is from Gowanbrae customers, and another 1 from Gladstone Park, Tullamarine and Airport West.
Pruning is about the right cut, not the most cuts. We remove deadwood and hazard limbs, lift the canopy off roofs, sheds and driveways, thin a dense crown so wind moves through it instead of pushing on it, and clear power-line and neighbour boundaries. Trees pruned properly stay healthy and need less attention; trees hacked back sprout weak regrowth and become a bigger problem in Gowanbrae gardens within a couple of seasons.
Palms are their own job. They are heavy for their size, the fronds and seed pods are a mess, and the trunk fibre blunts saws. We take them down in short sections with the rigging set up so nothing lands where it should not, and we take the trunk away rather than leaving you with something that will not burn and will not rot.
Tree Removal & Pruning in Gowanbrae — what we do
Hazardous tree removal
Dead, leaning, split or storm-damaged trees taken down in sections.
Palm removal
Cocos, cotton and date palms removed trunk and all.
Hazard & clearance pruning
Deadwood out, canopy lifted off roofs, lines and boundaries.
Crown thinning & shaping
Wind through the canopy, light into the garden, the tree kept.
A tip from Api
Ask any arborist in Gowanbrae two questions: are you insured, and who is actually climbing? With Aps the answers are yes, and Api or a climber he has trained and supervises. A quote that is a lot cheaper than everyone else’s usually means one of those answers is different.
The full service pages: Tree & Palm Removal and Tree Pruning — every one available in Gowanbrae.
Guides from Api: Hedge trimming and pruning in Melbourne: when to cut, how hard, and what each hedge needs · Tree removal near me: how to find the right crew in Melbourne's west
Do you need a permit to remove a tree in Gowanbrae?
Before anything is cut in Gowanbrae, the permit question comes first, and the answer depends on Merri-bek City Council.
In Merri-bek a Tree Works Permit is required to remove a mature tree, or to prune more than 15 per cent of its canopy, on private property. A mature tree is 8 m or taller with a single trunk diameter greater than 40 cm, or multiple trunks adding to more than 40 cm, measured 1.2 m above the ground; trees on the Significant Tree Register are covered regardless of size.
Pruning under 15 per cent needs no permit, but the council recommends an AQF Level 3 arborist and before-and-after photos. Where a tree is protected by an overlay or by a condition on an earlier planning permit, a planning permit (or an amendment) is the route instead, and the planning scheme takes precedence over the local law.
The rule sits in clause 2.5 of the General Local Law; the Urban Forest team on 9240 1111 handles questions.
Source: Merri-bek City Council — trees on private property, 9240 1111. 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.
Tree removal jobs by Api and the crew
Real jobs, real photos — Api, the crew and the truck, across Melbourne’s inner north. Nothing staged, nothing stock.
What Gowanbrae customers say
Matt
Gowanbrae · Feb 2021
Api and his team are some of the nicest people I have ever met. They did a fantastic job for us and I would highly recommend them. I will definitely be using they’re services again.
Tree removal around Gowanbrae
The same crew, the same day rates, in the suburbs next door:
Other services in Gowanbrae
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 north say
Siva Sankar
4 Dec 2024
Just Fab, Awesome job. Thank you for your work.
Emily Cavka
3 Dec 2024
I had 3 trees removed and I am very happy with their work.
Harrison singh
19 Nov 2024
Api is very professional and reliable. I have used his services few times and he has always exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend his services.
Sonny Reyes
14 Oct 2024
Very professional. The best job done at reasonable price. Thank you so much!
Suhair Bdeiwe
3 Oct 2024
Great service, I highly recommend them.
Ian Rogers
3 Oct 2024
Very happy with Api and his team with the removal of a very large jacaranda tree and several yucca trees. Always on time and provided advice on tasks…
Graciela Marinaro
26 Sept 2024
The guys were fantastic, very helpful with great customer service. I needed a very tall she oak removed in between my other plants, the guys were very…
Daniel M
26 Sept 2024
Api was a pleasure to deal with from the first call. He came the same day to have a look at the trees which needed to be cut and provided a very compe…
mikep p
25 Sept 2024
Two trees and stumps removed and site cleanup afterwards at a very reasonable price. Professional and friendly staff. Apps Tree Removal should be your…
Em
13 Sept 2024
Had Api come and trim back some out of control trees on our new property to a maintainable level, looks fantastic and he and his team were prompt, tid…
Mostafa Haroun
12 Sept 2024
API came through to our house with his team and gave us a quote for the work that we where happy with. When he was done we where so greatful and appre…
MonS S
4 Sept 2024
Exceptional service. Api and the team chopped and mulched trees and cleaned up to leave the yard immaculate. Highly recommend!
Gowanbrae Tree Removal & Pruning — common questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Gowanbrae?
Yes, for a “mature tree” — 8 m or taller with a trunk diameter over 40 cm at 1.2 m (single or combined) — or a tree on the Significant Tree Register: Merri-bek requires a Tree Works Permit to remove it or to prune more than 15 per cent of its canopy. Trees protected by an overlay or a planning-permit condition need a planning permit instead. 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 tree removal cost in Gowanbrae?
It depends on the size of the tree, how close it is to buildings, fences and lines, the access for the chipper, and whether you want the stump ground and the timber taken away. A small tree in an open Gowanbrae yard is a very different job from a 20 m gum over a house. Api quotes every job in person, free, and the price he gives is the price you pay.
How long does it take?
Most single-tree removals in Gowanbrae are done in a day, often a morning. Large trees over structures can take two. Api gives you the timing with the quote.
Can you get in if the access is tight?
Yes — most of the trees we remove are in backyards with a standard side path. Where there is no path at all we can still do it; it takes longer and the quote reflects that.
What happens to the waste?
Chipped on the street and taken away, or left as mulch if you want it. Larger logs are cut to size and removed unless you ask for firewood.
Can you save the tree instead of removing it?
Frequently. Most “this tree has to go” calls end with a prune, because the real problem was a limb over the roof or a canopy blocking light. A structurally sound tree is worth keeping, and Api says so when it is.