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Melbourne suburbs

Tree removal and tree lopping in Brighton

Tree removal, pruning and stump grinding in Brighton, matched to a local arborist.

Bayside changed its tree Local Law on 1 November 2026, so for most Brighton trees the question is now which planning control applies, and that still needs checking before anything is cut.

  • We match you with the local arborist who does your kind of job.
  • Tell us the job once, and the arborist who takes it calls you.
  • Storm damage and fallen trees flagged urgent.

Tree job in Brighton?

What needs doing?

If anyone is in danger, call 000. For storm damage to your home, call the SES. Then tell us the job.

Only one local arborist gets your number.

Gloved hands working a climbing rope and a carabiner at the trunk of a tree

Matched by the job, not just the postcode

A big gum over a roof, a stump and a council report are different jobs, so the job comes first.

Only one local arborist gets your number.

Your contact details go to one arborist for your job, so you deal with one person.

Storm jobs flagged urgent

Pick storm damage and the arborist sees it marked urgent. If anyone is in danger, call 000 first.

Council rules before the cut

Many councils protect bigger trees. The permit guides cover every state, so you can check first.

What happens next

A local arborist calls you.

Tell us the job

  1. Tell us the job

    What the tree needs and your postcode. A few taps.

  2. We pass it on

    To a local arborist near your postcode.

  3. They call you

    They talk it through, usually see the tree, and quote in writing. You decide.

Tree removal permits in Brighton

Before the change, Bayside's Local Law covered any tree with a trunk over 155 cm around at 1 metre above the ground. Since 1 November 2026, only trees on the Significant Tree Register need a Local Law application to be removed or pruned.

Bayside is clear that planning permits still apply. Its guide lists the state canopy tree clause, two overlays that cover Beaumaris, Black Rock and parts of Cheltenham, and the Heritage Overlay where its schedule switches tree controls on. For a Brighton home, the canopy tree clause and heritage controls are the two to look at.

Plenty of older quotes and websites still mention the 155 cm rule. The Bayside permit page has the current position.

Tree removal in Brighton: what's local

Large blocks, heritage houses

Brighton's house blocks are large and it has many heritage listed houses. Big old gardens usually mean big old trees, and a Heritage Overlay schedule can put tree controls on a particular property.

A register fig on Bay Street

Bayside's Significant Tree Register lists 105 trees, rows and hedges, among them a Moreton Bay fig on Bay Street. A listed tree needs a Local Law permit for removal and for any cutting, trimming or pruning too. See fig trees.

Sand and sea breeze

An 1865 account of Brighton praised its long sandy beach and invigorating breeze, and the bay is still Bayside's whole western edge. Trees nearest the water take the wind first, so look over any big limb above the house after a strong blow.

Storm damage and fallen trees in Brighton

Stay well back, and at least 8 to 10 metres from any fallen powerline. A tree on a street line is the network's job: United Energy covers much of Melbourne's south-east. If anyone is hurt or trapped, call 000. If a fallen tree has damaged the house or blocks your way in or out, VICSES can help. VICSES won't cut down trees that are still standing, so that part waits for an arborist once it's safe.

Tree pruning and lopping in Brighton

Lots of people search for tree lopping when they want a tree made smaller, and that's fine. Arborists avoid true lopping (cutting branches back to stubs) because the regrowth is weakly attached and the wounds struggle to seal, and the Australian pruning standard lists lopping and topping as unacceptable. Ask for a reduction or a crown thin instead; lopping vs pruning shows the difference.

Hiring an arborist in Brighton

Don't read the Local Law change as a green light. Look the address up on VicPlan for a Heritage Overlay, check where the trunk stands against the front and rear boundaries, and search the Significant Tree Register. Then ring Bayside and ask for the answer in writing. A clear answer from council is worth having before a large tree comes down, especially one close to a neighbour.

Tree removal and tree lopping in Brighton: common questions

Do I still need Bayside's permit to remove a big tree in Brighton?

Since 1 November 2026, Bayside's Local Law only covers trees on its Significant Tree Register. Planning controls still apply, including the canopy tree clause for trees near the front or rear boundary and any Heritage Overlay tree controls. Check with Bayside before anything is cut.

What counts as a canopy tree under the planning scheme?

Since 24 September 2026, clause 52.37 defines it as a tree at least 5 metres tall with an average canopy diameter of at least 4 metres. In residential zones, a permit is needed to remove, destroy or lop one within 6 metres of the street frontage or 4.5 metres of the rear boundary, or anywhere on a vacant lot.

Is this page for Brighton in Victoria?

Yes. It covers Brighton and Brighton East on Port Phillip Bay, postcodes 3186 and 3187, in Bayside City Council. Part of Brighton East is in Glen Eira, which has its own canopy tree local law.

Need an arborist in Brighton?

Pick the job and give your postcode, and a local arborist calls you.

Tree job in Brighton?

What needs doing?

Only one local arborist gets your number.

Tree services across Melbourne

Tree removal in MelbourneTree pruning in MelbourneStump grinding in MelbournePalm tree removal and pruning in MelbourneHedge trimming in MelbourneArborist reports in MelbourneLand clearing in Melbourne

Arborists near Brighton

Tree permits in Victoria

More on tree removal and tree lopping in Brighton

Sources

Tree rules change, so check with your council before anything is cut. How we write and check these pages.