Tree pruning in Melbourne: what's local
Lopping a canopy tree
Victoria's clause 52.37 covers removing, destroying or lopping a canopy tree in the main residential zones. Its allowance for maintenance pruning doesn't extend to pruning the trunk, or to cuts that take the tree below 5 metres tall or its canopy below 4 metres across.
Local laws that name pruning
Stonnington's General Local Law needs a permit to lop, prune or trim a significant tree, or to work inside its tree protection zone. Frankston's local law covers pruning more than one-third of the outer canopy. Bayside's permit covers trimming or pruning any tree on its Significant Tree Register.
Standards councils point to
Boroondara recommends a qualified arborist for canopy tree pruning, done to AS 4373-2007 Pruning of Amenity Trees. Bayside asks for AS 4373 work by an arborist with at least Certificate III for pruning above ground, and Certificate IV for roots.
Branches near the lines
Energy Safe Victoria says to keep trees clear of your service line before they grow to within one metre of it, and suggests a qualified professional. Street lines belong to the network. United Energy says it cuts only to its no go zone specification, and any further pruning is the landowner's call.
How tree pruning works in Melbourne
| Pruning | Lopping | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the cut goes | Just outside the branch collar, or at the branch bark ridge | Between nodes, leaving a stub |
| What the tree does next | Grows over the wound quickly | Struggles to seal it and throws bushy regrowth |
| The regrowth | Normal growth from healthy wood | Often poorly attached and can become dangerous |
| The standard | Follows AS 4373 | AS 4373 lists lopping and topping as unacceptable |
| The permit angle | Usually maintenance, but check listed trees | Lopping a canopy tree can need a planning permit |
Why Melbourne trees get pruned
Lifting limbs off roofs and gutters, thinning a crown so wind passes through it, taking deadwood out of gums, clearing the service line, and shaping trees on small blocks. Big storms, like the June 2021 one in the Dandenong Ranges, bring a spike in hanging limbs and split branches that need making safe.
Ask for the pruning class by name: deadwooding, crown thinning, crown lifting or reduction pruning are all described in AS 4373. A quote that just says "cut back" or "top" is the one to question. For the wider picture, see our tree pruning page and the lopping vs pruning guide.
Tree pruning in Melbourne: what you can do yourself
You can
- Prune small branches you can reach with both feet on the ground, using secateurs, loppers or a pruning saw.
- Photograph the tree and note anything dead, split or rubbing.
- Check VicPlan and your council's tree page if the tree is big or near a boundary.
Leave to an arborist
- Anything above head height or that needs a ladder.
- Branches anywhere near a power line, including the service line to your house.
- Big limbs, listed or significant trees, and any work that could count as lopping.
Questions to ask about tree pruning in Melbourne
- Will you prune to AS 4373, and which pruning class is this?
- Could this work need a council permit, and who will apply?
- How much of the canopy are you taking off?
- What's your qualification, for example Certificate III in Arboriculture (AHC30824)?
- Do you carry public liability insurance, and can I see it?
- Is the green waste chipped and taken away?
Hiring an arborist for tree pruning in Melbourne
Get the arborist to name the pruning class and the share of canopy coming off in the quote. If the tree is on a council register, or the work cuts the main leaders back hard, ask the council before the date is set. It's a short email that can save a fine.