Tree lopping in Southport, in a sentence
A local arborist looks at your tree, works out how to get the timber out past the house, the lines and the street, and puts a price in writing before anything is cut.
Why Southport tree jobs are different
Southport was a town long before the Gold Coast was a city, and its older streets still show it. Between the apartment towers and the hospital precinct there are post-war houses, a few timber Queenslanders and plenty of 1960s and 70s brick homes on decent-sized blocks. Those blocks have had decades to grow trees, and many of them were never planned: a mango from a seed, a fig that came up by the fence, a camphor laurel dropped by a bird.
The result is a lot of large, mature trees in yards that are now hemmed in by units, garages and carports. Typical jobs:
- reducing an old mango or fig that has spread over two or three neighbouring roofs;
- removing camphor laurels and African tulip trees, both restricted invasive plants in Queensland;
- clearing limbs away from the service line that runs from the street pole to the house;
- tidying a single large tree on the common property of a small unit block.
Lines, traffic and neighbours
Overhead power lines run along most older Southport streets. Any branch near a live line is a job for someone authorised to work there, and Energex manages vegetation near its own network on the street. Make sure the quote says how lines will be dealt with.
Busy streets also matter. If a truck, chipper or crane has to stand on the road, the contractor may need traffic control, and on some roads there is very little room. Mention it if you are on a main road or near the light rail.
With neighbours close on every side, it pays to talk to them before work day, particularly if branches will be lowered over their yard or a truck will block a shared driveway.
When a tree is on or over the boundary
Queensland's Neighbourhood Disputes (Dividing Fences and Trees) Act 2011 covers trees that overhang or damage a neighbour's land. In short, the person on whose land the tree stands is responsible for it, and there is a set process for asking them to deal with overhanging branches, with the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) as the place to go if it cannot be sorted out. Our FAQ has more, but get your own advice for a real dispute.
Council trees and private trees
Footpath and park trees are the City of Gold Coast's responsibility. On private land, the City controls clearing of some vegetation through its City Plan. Most Southport backyard trees are not affected, but if yours is a large native, or near the Broadwater foreshore, check with the City before removal.
Getting a quote
Large old trees with limited access often fall in the upper half of our price guide. A photo, a rough height and a note about lines and parking helps the arborist come prepared.