Tell us the job

Sydney suburbs

Tree removal and arborists in the Inner West

Tree removal, pruning and stump grinding in the Inner West, matched to a local arborist.

Across the Inner West, from Balmain to Tempe, one council's Tree Management DCP 2023 decides which private trees need consent, so Leichhardt, Ashfield and Marrickville all share the same rules.

  • 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 the Inner West?

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 lifting a cut log round onto a stack of rounds

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 the Inner West

Inner West Council was formed by merging the former Leichhardt, Ashfield and Marrickville councils. Since 1 April 2023 its Tree Management DCP has set which trees on private land need consent, so advice written for a former council's rules may be out of date.

The council area covers 36 square km and about 186,000 people, from Annandale, Balmain and Rozelle down to Marrickville, St Peters and Tempe. Our Ashfield and Marrickville pages go street by street.

Tree removal in the Inner West: what's local

Canopy that's thin on private land

NSW Planning measured 19.6% canopy across the Inner West in 2024-25: 22% over streets but 17% over private properties. Council's own target is 23%, against a Greater Sydney aspiration of 40% by 2030.

Dead trees still need consent

Inner West says removing a dead tree needs council consent, through a tree works permit or a development application. That lines up with NSW's 2026 changes for dead and dying protected trees.

Council plants, owners manage

Council plants about 1000 trees a year on public land, but it doesn't prune or remove trees on private property. A tree on your side of the fence is yours to look after, with consent where the rules apply.

Ausgrid everywhere

The whole council area is on Ausgrid's network. Ausgrid clears council verge trees near a service wire, and all growth from a neighbour's tree near yours.

Before you lodge in the Inner West

  • Every owner's signature on the form, because an application missing one is refused
  • The Prune or Remove a Tree on Private Land form, lodged through council's online portal
  • Photos, plus an arborist's or plumber's report if you have one; they're not mandatory but may help
  • Written evidence from an AQF5 arborist, or photographs, if you're saying the tree is imminently dangerous
  • A spot for the replacement tree council requires after any approved removal
  • Time: council warned of a 6-8 week turnaround in October 2026

Hiring an arborist in the Inner West

We'd lodge as early as possible with every owner's signature on the form, because a missing signature means a refusal and the backlog makes a second try slow. For anything that looks dangerous, we'd have an AQF Level 5 arborist put it in writing on the first visit.

Tree removal and arborists in the Inner West: common questions

Who do I call after hours about a dangerous tree in the Inner West?

Call 000 if anyone is in danger, and the SES for storm damage to the home. Council also has an after-hours on-call service for urgent matters.

What qualifications should an Inner West arborist have?

Council asks for AQF Level 5 or equivalent for consulting arborists writing reports, AQF Level 3 for working arborists and AQF Level 4 for root pruning assessments. Our guide to checking an arborist covers what to ask for.

Need an arborist in the Inner West?

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

Tree job in the Inner West?

What needs doing?

Only one local arborist gets your number.

Tree services across Sydney

Tree removal in SydneyTree pruning in SydneyStump grinding in SydneyPalm tree removal and pruning in SydneyHedge trimming in SydneyArborist reports in SydneyLand clearing in Sydney

Arborists near Inner West

Tree permits in New South Wales

More on tree removal and arborists in the Inner West

Sources

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