Questions, answered straight

A tree service cuts trees. A consulting arborist assesses them and writes reports. The two are complementary but distinct, and councils generally will not accept a removal justification written by the contractor who would be paid for the removal. Consulting work is independent assessment — which is the whole point of it.

AQF Level 5 is the diploma-level arboriculture qualification under the Australian Qualifications Framework. It is the minimum standard councils across South East Queensland require on an arborist report. AQF Level 3 is the practical qualification for climbing and tree work — a Level 3 arborist can remove your tree, a Level 5 arborist can write the assessment that gets it approved.

Not always, and you should be sceptical of anyone who says yes before looking. You need one when your council requires it — most commonly for significant or protected trees, for construction affecting a root zone, or where council has issued an information request asking for supporting evidence. Plenty of tree work is exempt. Check your council page first, and if it is still unclear, ask.

Standard turnaround is 2–3 business days from the site visit for most reports. Impact assessments and management plans take longer because there is more to assess. Where you have a hard deadline, a rush turnaround of around 48 hours is often possible — say so when you enquire.

Reports are written to the standard your council expects and reference the specific local law or planning scheme provision your application sits under, which is what assessors look for. What no honest arborist can promise is a particular decision — councils assess applications on their merits, and a report that fabricated a justification for removing a healthy protected tree would be both unethical and ineffective.

No, and be wary of anyone who does. What a good report does is present the evidence accurately and completely, addressed to the criteria your council actually applies. Where the tree genuinely warrants removal, that is a strong application. Where it does not, no report changes the underlying facts — and an early honest answer saves you the application fee and the wait.

Brisbane, Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Redland & the Gold Coast. Brisbane is home ground and the council guidance here goes deepest there, but consulting work extends across South East Queensland — ask about your area.

Every service carries a published starting price — see the pricing page. Reports start at $660 inc. GST. You always get a fixed written quote before any work begins, and quoting is free.

Queensland’s Neighbourhood Disputes (Dividing Fences and Trees) Act 2011 sets out a process — including your right to cut back overhanging branches to the boundary at your own cost, and the ability to serve a formal notice on the tree keeper. If that fails, QCAT can make orders. Note that council vegetation protection applies regardless: if the tree is protected, neither of you can remove it without a permit.