Top 7 tree removal and tree lopping services in Adelaide
Adelaide's best rated tree removal services, from the northern suburbs to the Hills. Every business here has an ABN that matches its name, a real local base and a strong record of Google reviews. Many larger trees in Adelaide are regulated, so check the rules below before anything comes down.
- 7top picks from 40+ checked
- 4.9average Google rating
Get 2 tree removal quotes in Adelaide
Free, no obligation. Takes about a minute.
What we check for every listing
- A real businessAn ABN that matches the trading name, a named owner and a real local base. No call-forwarding fronts.
- ReputationA strong record of Google reviews built up over years, not a handful.
- Qualified crewArborist qualifications and insurance as the business states them. Ask to see certificates.
- Direct contactPhone numbers and links go to the business itself.
The best tree loppers in Adelaide
Ranked on reputation, qualifications, experience and the range of work each business takes on. Ratings are from Google Maps.
Rankings are editorial and no business pays to be listed or to move up. Any paid placement is labelled Featured. Qualifications and insurance are as each business states them, so ask to see certificates. How we make money
-
1
Tree Tech SA
Edwardstown office, works from Brighton and Uraidla across metro Adelaide and the Hills
Best for southern suburbs and Hills jobs, including old trees
- Ongoing council work as well as homes, the business says
- Cares for veteran trees as well as removing them
- Emergency hazard team on site within hours, the business says
- Carries public liability and professional indemnity cover
More about Tree Tech SA
Tree Tech SA has an office at Edwardstown and works from Brighton and Uraidla, so it reaches both the southern suburbs and the Hills. The company has been registered since 2018 and says it does ongoing work for several South Australian councils as well as homes and businesses.
Its certified arborists handle pruning, veteran tree care, tree and stump removal and storm damage, and an emergency hazard team can be on site within hours, the business says. It offers arborist reports and carries public liability and professional indemnity cover.
- Based in
- Edwardstown
- Qualifications
- Certified arborists, the business says
- Insurance
- $20 million public liability and $5 million professional indemnity
- Does
- Removal, Pruning, Emergency, Arborist reports
-
2
SA Tree Recyclers
Hackham base, focuses on the southern suburbs and covers metropolitan Adelaide
Best for southern suburbs removals with mulch on site
- Has traded as SA Tree Recyclers from Hackham since 2006
- Says it has worked in tree removal since 1990
- Chips branches into mulch and sells clean gum and mixed mulch
- Works 7 days and takes emergency callouts, the business says
More about SA Tree Recyclers
SA Tree Recyclers works from Chapman Road at Hackham, in Adelaide's south, and is run by Andrew Rooney. The business says it has been removing trees since 1990. It focuses on the southern suburbs but takes jobs across metropolitan Adelaide.
Crews remove, trim and prune trees, take out palms, stumps and woody weeds, and handle emergency callouts 7 days a week, according to the company. Branches are chipped into mulch, and the business sells clean gum and mixed mulch. It also offers development reporting and diagnosis advice, the business says.
- Based in
- Hackham
- Does
- Removal, Pruning, Palms, Stump grinding
-
3
Tree Wise Arborists
Medindie base, covers Adelaide and surrounding areas
Best for inner north removals with arborist reports
- Lists arborist reports alongside removals, pruning and stump grinding
- Based in Medindie, close to the inner northern and eastern suburbs
- Also offers date palm shaping, hedging and land clearing
- Covers Adelaide and surrounding areas, the business says
More about Tree Wise Arborists
Tree Wise Arborists is a company based in Medindie, just north of the Adelaide city centre, and it serves Adelaide and the surrounding areas. It describes its team as expert arborists.
Services cover tree trimming, pruning, removal and stump grinding, plus date palm shaping, hedging and land clearing. The business says it writes arborist reports, takes on emergency tree work and removes green waste, and it has mulch and firewood available.
- Based in
- Medindie
- Qualifications
- Arborist reports offered
- Does
- Removal, Pruning, Arborist reports, Stump grinding
- Want 2 quotes to compare? Tell us about the job once and we'll pass it on.Get 2 quotes
-
4
Northern Tree Services
Angle Vale base, covers the northern suburbs, Gawler and the Barossa Valley
Best for northern suburbs and Gawler removals
- Owner operated from Angle Vale, trading under this name since at least 2005
- The person who quotes a job works on the crew, the business says
- Removes cocos and cotton palms and handles confined space removals
- Covers the northern suburbs out to Gawler and the Barossa
More about Northern Tree Services
Northern Tree Services is an owner operated business based at Angle Vale, on Adelaide's northern fringe. It says it has been removing problem trees for more than 25 years, and it covers the northern suburbs, Gawler and the Barossa Valley.
Crews handle removals, including confined space jobs and storm damage, along with pruning, stump grinding and cocos and cotton palm removal. The business says the person who quotes a job also works on it, green waste is taken away and it is fully insured. It also delivers leaf mulch.
- Based in
- Angle Vale
- Qualifications
- Owner operated, trained crew, the business says
- Insurance
- $20 million liability cover
- Does
- Removal, Pruning, Stump grinding, Palms
-
5
CraneSaw Tree Services
Southern base, covers the Adelaide Hills, foothills and eastern suburbs
Best for big or dead trees removed by crane
- Lead arborist holds a Diploma in Arboriculture, and each crew member is named
- Crane and grapple saw take down big or dead trees without climbing
- Writes arboricultural impact assessments and preliminary risk reports
- Covers the Adelaide Hills, foothills and eastern suburbs
More about CraneSaw Tree Services
CraneSaw Tree Services works across the Adelaide Hills, the foothills and the eastern suburbs. Lead arborist Rohan holds a Diploma in Arboriculture, and the site names each crew member with their training, mostly Certificate III in Arboriculture, with trainees working towards it. The business says its people have cared for Adelaide trees for more than 20 years.
Its point of difference is a crane with a grapple saw, which lets the crew take down large or dead trees without climbing them. It also prunes, lops, grinds stumps, treats elm leaf beetle and writes arborist reports, including impact and preliminary risk assessments.
- Qualifications
- Diploma of Arboriculture (AQF Level 5) lead arborist, the business says
- Insurance
- Up to $20 million public liability
- Does
- Removal, Large trees, Arborist reports, Pruning
-
6
Seaview Tree & Stump Service
Seaview Downs base, covers Adelaide
Best for south west removals, hedges and stump grinding
- Says it has served Adelaide for more than 20 years
- Grinds stumps and roots as well as removing trees
- Also shapes hedges, clears blocks and cleans palms
- Seaview Downs base covering the south western suburbs
More about Seaview Tree & Stump Service
A Seaview Tree & Stump Service works from Seaview Downs in Adelaide's south west. The business says it has offered friendly, professional service for more than 20 years and carries full public liability insurance.
Its work covers tree and stump removal, pruning, tree shaping, and stump and root grinding. It also cuts and shapes hedges, clears blocks, cleans palms and takes on emergency work. Mulching and firewood round out the services, according to the company.
- Based in
- Seaview Downs
- Insurance
- Full public liability insurance
- Does
- Removal, Pruning, Stump grinding, Land clearing
-
7
Calypso Tree Co
Blackwood postal base, covers metro Adelaide
Best for tight access removals with reports if needed
- Trading since 2011, the business says
- Writes arborist reports, tree appraisals and hazard assessments
- Handles confined space and hazardous removals
- Holds public liability and professional indemnity cover
More about Calypso Tree Co
Calypso Tree Co has worked across metro Adelaide since 2011, with a postal base at Blackwood. The business describes its team as qualified, award winning arborists and says it has a clean claims record.
Work covers crown reductions and other tree surgery, hazardous and confined space removals, and stumps of all sizes. The company also writes arborist reports, tree appraisals and hazard assessments, and gives preservation and pest and disease advice. It holds public liability and professional indemnity cover, according to the company.
- Based in
- Blackwood
- Since
- 2011
- Qualifications
- Qualified arborists, the business says
- Insurance
- $20 million public liability and $5 million professional indemnity
- Does
- Removal, Pruning, Arborist reports, Stump grinding
How much does tree removal cost in Adelaide?
Typical ranges for Adelaide. Your quote depends on the job, so get two to compare.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Small tree removal, under 5 m | $230 to $740 |
| Medium tree removal, 5 to 10 m | $740 to $2,300 |
| Large tree removal, 10 to 20 m | $1,850 to $4,600 |
| Very large tree, over 20 m | $4,150 and up |
| Pruning or trimming, per tree | $190 to $1,100 |
| Palm removal, per palm | $230 to $1,100 |
| Stump grinding, small stump under 30 cm | $140 to $280 |
| Arborist report | From about $280 |
Typical ranges in metropolitan Adelaide from published Australian cost guides, checked November 2026. Prices include GST where the source gives it. Access, powerlines, the species, how much green waste goes, whether a crane is needed and regulated tree approval move a quote the most.
Do you need council approval in Adelaide?
South Australia's Planning and Design Code protects many trees on private land. Check before any work starts, because fines for removing a protected tree without approval can be large.
What's protected
A regulated tree has a trunk circumference of 1 m or more, measured 1 m above natural ground level. A significant tree is 2 m or more. The rules cover most of metropolitan Adelaide.
Common exemptions
Trees within 3 m of a house or in-ground pool on the same block, except Willow Myrtle, Angophora, Corymbia and Eucalyptus. Dead trees, and 24 listed exotic species such as Box Elder, London Plane and Weeping Willow.
Pruning
Pruning up to 30% of the crown, no more than once every 5 years, generally doesn't need approval. Heavier pruning can count as tree-damaging activity, so check with council first.
Approval and fees
Apply to your local council. If removal is approved and you don't plant replacements (2 trees for a regulated tree, 3 for a significant one), you pay $1,000 or $1,500 into a tree fund.
Official source: Legal Services Commission of South Australia: regulated and significant trees.
Trees near powerlines
SA Power Networks keeps trees clear of public powerlines, including trees on private land that hang over the road. Private poles and lines past your connection point are yours to manage. Never prune near powerlines yourself.
Neighbour's tree over the fence
If a neighbour's regulated tree overhangs your side, you can apply to council for approval to lop the branches on your side of the boundary, and you pay no fee. Talk to your neighbour first.
Storm damage
A tree down on the house or across the driveway? Get people clear first, then call for help.
Lopping, pruning or removal: what are you asking for?
Most people say lopping when they mean any tree work. To an arborist, lopping means cutting branches back to stubs between natural branch points. Arborists generally discourage it, because the tree regrows weak shoots that can break off later. Pruning to AS 4373, the Australian Standard for pruning amenity trees, cuts at natural branch points instead.
Pruning takes out selected branches to lift, thin or reduce the crown while keeping the tree healthy. Removal takes the whole tree down, usually piece by piece on a suburban block, and the stump is ground out as a separate job.
Not sure which you need? Ask for a quote on both. A good operator will tell you when pruning will do the job.
How we chose these tree services
We built the list from public information, then checked each business by hand.
- 1
Build a long list
We started with tree services in Adelaide found through Google Maps, Arboriculture Australia and local searches across metropolitan Adelaide.
- 2
Weed out the fronts
Tree lopping is full of keyword websites that forward calls to whoever pays. We checked each business's ABN, owner and base, and dropped any we couldn't confirm.
- 3
Check reputation
Shortlisted businesses needed a strong, consistent record of Google reviews over years. A few glowing reviews wasn't enough.
- 4
Read their own details
Qualifications, insurance, services and service area come from each business's own website. If a detail was unclear, we left it out.
- 5
Rank the list
Ranked on reputation, qualifications, experience and the range of work each business takes on.
What doesn't affect ranking
- Payment. No business pays to be listed or to rank higher.
- Size or advertising spend.
- Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll recheck it.
Tree removal in Adelaide: questions people ask
How much does tree removal cost in Adelaide?
A small tree under 5 m usually costs $230 to $740 to remove, a medium tree of 5 to 10 m $740 to $2,300, and a large tree of 10 to 20 m $1,850 to $4,600. Access, powerlines, the species and green waste removal move the price most. Stump grinding is usually quoted separately.
Do I need council approval to remove a tree in Adelaide?
Yes, if it's a regulated or significant tree and no exemption applies. In most of metropolitan Adelaide, a tree with a trunk circumference of 1 m or more, measured 1 m above ground, is regulated, and 2 m or more is significant. You apply to your local council. Trees within 3 m of a house or in-ground pool are exempt, unless they're a Willow Myrtle, Angophora, Corymbia or Eucalyptus.
What qualifications should a tree lopper have?
Qualifications vary a lot in this industry, so ask. Look for a crew with an AQF Level 3 arborist qualification, current public liability insurance you can see a certificate for, and a Level 5 consulting arborist if you need a report for council.
Can I trim a tree near powerlines myself?
No. Keep well away and use a professional. SA Power Networks keeps trees clear of public powerlines, including trees on private land that hang over the road. Private poles and lines past your connection point are the owner's responsibility.
Should I get the stump ground at the same time?
It's usually cheaper to book it with the removal, because the crew is already on site. Most tree services quote stump grinding as a separate line item, so ask for it in your quote.
Get 2 quotes in Adelaide
Tell us about the job once. We'll pass it to up to 2 local businesses that cover your suburb.
General information only. Always confirm qualifications, insurance, council approval and price directly with the business before work starts.