# Sydney Arborist Report

> AQF Level 5 arborist reports for councils, DAs and disputes. A website of Above All Tree Services Pty Ltd (ABN 41 162 658 933), family-owned Sydney arborists since 2004 (22 years) with bases in Engadine, Ryde, Gordon and Bankstown. Main website: https://www.tree-services.com.au/

## Contact
- Call us: 0412 908 673; storm and emergency calls answered after hours
- Bases (not open to the public): Engadine (Achilles Road) — Sutherland Shire; Ryde (Porter Street) — Ryde, the inner west and the lower north shore; Gordon (Pacific Highway) — Ku-ring-gai and the upper north shore; Bankstown (Hoskins Avenue) — Canterbury-Bankstown, St George and the south-west
- Enquiries: the quote form on this site (no email address is published; every enquiry comes through the form or the phone)
- Hours: Monday to Friday 8:00 am – 5:30 pm; Saturday 8:00 am – 1:00 pm; Sunday Closed
- Quotes are free. We call back almost as soon as a request comes in and inspect within 24–48 hours; stumps can be quoted from a photo, everything else is seen on site.
- Rough tree-removal guide (every job is quoted on site; access, position, surroundings and shape move the price): small tree $500–1,200; medium to about 12 m $1,000–2,200; large to about 20 m $1,800–3,500; crane or multi-day removal $3,500 to over $10,000. Stump grinding $200–800 per stump (size, access, tree type; quoted from a photo); pruning from $300; arborist reports quoted individually.

## Credentials
- Two AQF Level 5 consulting arborists, Diploma of Horticulture (Arboriculture) (Wayne Back, Joshua Baber); Joshua Baber writes the arborist reports
- EWP licences (over 11 m) and Electrical Close Approach
- RISI, ARTC and Sydney Airport (SACL) inductions
- NSW TAFE chainsaw operations teacher on staff
- Insurance: $20 million public liability (QBE); $20 million product liability (QBE); $5 million professional indemnity (QBE); Workers compensation (CGU); Heavy motor vehicle insurance (Allianz)
- Clients include Downer (formerly Spotless) — school grounds, Cushman & Wakefield — schools, Evolve — schools, Fulton Hogan — Sydney Water projects, Eight Sydney strata management companies, Public and private schools, Construction and landscaping companies.

## What this site covers
Arborist reports for Sydney councils, development sites and tree disputes, written by Above All Tree Services' consulting arborist Joshua Baber (AQF Level 5); director Wayne Back also holds AQF Level 5. Our crews carry out the approved work.

## What an arborist report is
A written assessment of a tree's health, structure and risk by a qualified arborist, usually AQF Level 5 (the Diploma of Arboriculture, described as the qualification "for consulting arborists and tree managers"). Councils ask for one for larger or disputed removals, dead or dangerous trees, trees causing structural damage, development sites, appeals and neighbour disputes (Land and Environment Court, Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act).

## What ours contains
Species, height, trunk diameter, canopy spread, age class and location with photos; health and structure (defects, decay, cracks, root damage, lean); a risk assessment; the options (retain, prune, remove and replace) and a recommendation with reasons; for development sites, tree protection zones and measures under AS 4970:2025. We write what we find: if a tree can be kept with pruning, the report says so.

## Independence: councils that will not take the report and the tree work from the same company
- Woollahra: only AQF 5 arborists with no financial link to tree removal or pruning.
- Lane Cove: independent AQF 5 arborists only.
- Sutherland Shire: TRAQ reports lodged with the reduced-fee application must come from an independent consultant (council inspects every application itself, so a report is optional otherwise).
- Willoughby: its application form asks for an independent AQF Level 5 arborist's report.
- Mosman: dangerous-tree claims and appeals need an independent consulting arborist's report.
- Northern Beaches: removing a significant tree needs a report from an independent qualified arborist.
Where these apply we say so up front: Josh writes the report and another contractor does the removal, or an independent consultant writes it and we do the work. Liverpool and Ryde expect an AQF 5 report for removals.

## Price and turnaround
Each report is quoted individually (no published price). Josh is usually on site within a week; the report follows within about another week depending on complexity. Council application fees are separate and paid to the council.

## Related
- Main website with every service, suburb and council guide: https://www.tree-services.com.au/
- Council tree rules for 32 Sydney councils: https://www.tree-services.com.au/council-tree-rules/
- Google reviews: https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJC5Olhctr5UkR-81ARND8yD8

## Site credit
Built by System C Pty Ltd (https://www.systemc.com.au/).