Arborist Reports in Melbourne

The document that gets the decision made

An arborist report is the piece of paper that turns "I want to remove this tree" into a decision a council, an insurer or a planning assessor will actually act on. It's a certified, evidence-based assessment of a tree — its species, health, structure, risk and value — written by a qualified consulting arborist in the form the recipient needs.

Across Melbourne, the most common reason people need one is simple: the council won't approve a removal or a development without it. Our appropriately qualified consulting arborists write reports councils and insurers accept.

When you'll be asked for one

• Council removal permits — when a council wants justification before approving the removal of a protected or mature tree, a report makes the case (or honestly tells you it can't be made).
• Planning & development (Clause 52.37) — building near or removing protected canopy trees usually triggers a report assessing retention, tree protection zones and removals, prepared to AS 4970.
• Insurance claims — after storm damage or a failure, an insurer often wants an independent assessment of cause and the tree's condition.
• Tree health & risk assessments — a straight professional opinion on whether a tree is safe to keep, what it needs, or whether it's a hazard.
• Neighbour and boundary disputes — an independent report on a contested tree's condition and risk.

Why the arborist's qualification matters

This is the bit that trips people up. A report is only worth what the writer's qualification makes it worth. Most Victorian councils require the author to be a consulting arborist at a minimum AQF Level 5 — the level trained to diagnose tree health and structure, run a proper risk assessment, and write to the standard assessors expect. A cheaper report from someone underqualified can get knocked back, and you've paid twice. We make sure the arborist matches what your council requires.

How the permit picture fits together

Melbourne's councils each set their own tree rules. In Merri-bek (Moreland), for example, removing a mature tree — one at least 8m tall with a trunk over 40cm wide at 1.2m — needs a Tree Works Permit, and the council can ask for justification. That's where a report comes in. The thresholds, overlays and significant-tree registers differ from suburb to suburb, so the first step is always confirming what your specific address actually requires. We check that before anyone commissions a report you may not even need.

Council requirements and planning provisions are reviewed periodically — confirm the current detail with your council.

From report to removal

A report often runs ahead of the actual work. Once a permit's approved, the same job usually moves on to tree removal or pruning, then stump grinding and clean-up. We can line all of it up so you're not chasing separate outfits.

Across Melbourne

We arrange certified arborist reports right across the metro — the inner north around Brunswick and its Merri-bek rules, the eastern suburbs, and the bayside south to Frankston and Mornington. See all the areas we serve.

Need a report for your council or insurer?

Call (03) 4327 9091 or send the form below. Tell us why you need the report — permit, planning, insurance or health — your suburb, and the tree, and we'll arrange the right qualified arborist.