Long Forest Stump Removal & Tight Access
Stump grinding 300–400 mm below ground in Long Forest, including tight-access side paths and courtyards. No regrowth, clean finish.
- Free quotes
- Fully qualified & insured
- 16+ years
Stump removal and tight access in Long Forest, done properly
Stumps in Long Forest, Merrimu, Harkness and Hopetoun Park 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 Merrimu (3 km), Harkness (4 km), Hopetoun Park (4 km), so a job in Long Forest is often paired with one next door. 2 of the reviews on this site are from customers in Merrimu, Harkness and Hopetoun Park, next door to Long Forest.
For tight access the sequence is the same with smaller gear: a compact grinder that fits a 750 mm gate, or a mini machine for courtyards. It is slower than the big grinder, but the result is identical — the stump is gone below the surface, not cut flush and left to sprout.
If you plan to build, pave or plant a tree in the same spot, tell Api when he quotes: we can grind deeper, remove the grindings and backfill with soil instead, or take the main roots further out so the ground is ready for what comes next.
Stump Removal & Tight Access in Long Forest — 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
Measure the widest part of the stump at ground level and send Api the number with a photo — in Long Forest that is usually enough for a firm price without a visit.
The full service pages: Stump Removal and Tree & Palm Removal — every one available in Long Forest.
Guides from Api: Professional tree removal vs tree lopping: why the method matters in Melbourne · Tree removal near me: how to find the right crew in Melbourne's west
Do you need a permit to remove a tree in Long Forest?
Before anything is cut in Long Forest, the permit question comes first, and the answer depends on Moorabool Shire Council.
Moorabool puts it bluntly on its permit page: most trees and vegetation require a planning permit to be destroyed, removed or lopped. Native vegetation falls under Victoria’s native vegetation removal regulations, which usually mean a permit and an offset, supported by a Native Vegetation Removal Report from the state tool.
Other trees can be protected for local heritage, amenity or visual significance, or because they contribute to the waterways and catchments — the Werribee River and Lerderderg run through the shire — so the overlays on a title matter more here than in the suburbs.
The residential zones of Bacchus Marsh, Darley and Maddingley also carry the state canopy-tree clause. The shire’s planning team is on (03) 5366 7100.
Source: Moorabool Shire Council — trees on private property, (03) 5366 7100. 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 the Bacchus Marsh district. Nothing staged, nothing stock.
What customers near Long Forest say
Kleo
Bacchus Marsh · Aug 2021
Connected with Aps Tree Removal and would recommend them
Emily
Bacchus Marsh · June 2022
Connected with Aps Tree Removal and would recommend them
Stump removal around Long Forest
The same crew, the same day rates, in the suburbs next door:
Other services in Long Forest
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 the Bacchus Marsh district say
Joseph Faltas
26 June 2023
APi is a great guy , honest and knowledgeable
Cathy Palio
26 June 2023
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! I can’t speak highly enough of Api and his team from APS tree removal. It was a huge job and they tackled it with ease and a smile…
Ann Davies
26 June 2023
Prompt and efficient service - courteous and helpful - a pleasure to have them on the job - would definitely recommend them to friends
Ann D
21 June 2023 · Malvern East
Most efficient and prompt - very friendly and will use them again
Jason M
18 May 2023 · Taylors Hill
Api and the team were very professional and did a thorough job including immaculate clean up. Highly recommend due to exceptional service. Their price…
Travis
28 Mar 2023 · Werribee
Professional courteous on time and service to the next level completed everything cleaned up and have no hesitation in recommending there service than…
Jennifer D
14 Mar 2023 · Sunbury
Api was a force of nature, the team felled 15 very large pine trees in 2 days and removed stumps. They cleaned up the site, left the wood in neat pile…
Heath
1 Mar 2023 · Point Cook
They did an awesome job, the trees look great, they did pruning and removed 2 others. Cleaned you after themselves. super happy. Thanks guys
Loryn
13 Feb 2023 · Wyndham Vale
Awesome service! Super efficient, neat and tidy. All the team were respectful and pleasant to deal with. Job done to a high standard, will definately…
Belinda
11 Jan 2023 · Niddrie
Very prompt and efficient
David A
31 Dec 2022 · Werribee
Connected with Aps Tree Removal and would recommend them
Mark
30 Dec 2022 · Altona Meadows
Connected with Aps Tree Removal and would recommend them
Long Forest Stump Removal & Tight Access — common questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Long Forest?
Often, yes: Moorabool’s own guidance is that most trees and vegetation require a planning permit to be removed, destroyed or lopped — native vegetation under the state regulations, with an offset, and other trees where heritage, amenity or waterway overlays apply. The state canopy-tree clause applies in Bacchus Marsh’s residential zones too. Check with the shire before anything is cut. 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 Long Forest?
Diameter, count and access. A small stump in an open Long Forest yard is our minimum call-out; a large hardwood down a side path is more. Several at once are cheaper each. Api quotes free, often from a photo.
How long does it take?
Most stump jobs are booked within a week of the quote and finished in a couple of hours on the day.
Can you get in if the access is tight?
Yes — tight access is in the name of the page. The compact grinder needs about 750 mm; where the gap is narrower still, we have a mini machine and hand options.
What happens to the waste?
The grindings go back in the hole unless you ask for them to be taken away and replaced with soil. Anything above that is loaded on the truck and the area is raked and blown clean.
How deep do you grind, and can I plant or pave over the spot?
Below the surface by 300–400 mm, roots chased. Plant, turf or pave the next day; for concrete, have the grindings removed and the hole filled with compacted soil.