Heavy pruning of a large poinciana
A clean, professional reduction that kept the tree healthy and the customer impressed.
“A great professional job with the heavy pruning of our large poinciana. Highly recommend.” Greg Masters
Tweed Coast & Gold Coast
Tree pruning done to the standard, not hacked
Canopy reduction, deadwooding, crown lifting, storm prep and view restoration, all pruned to AS 4373. We don't top trees, and we'll tell you why.
Pruning is where the difference between a real arborist and a tree lopper shows up most. Done right, it improves the tree’s health, its structure and its safety, and it can transform a view or get light back into a dark yard. Done wrong, it ruins the tree and creates a bigger problem two years down the track.
The classic wrong way is topping: lopping the main leaders off to make a tree shorter fast. It leaves rotting stubs, the regrowth comes back weak and prone to failure, and it looks terrible. We don’t do it. What we do instead is a proper canopy reduction that brings the tree down to the size you want while keeping it sound.
On the Tweed Coast a lot of pruning is about the view and the light, premium blocks with trees that have crept up over the years. We can open those up selectively without butchering the tree. And before cyclone season, a sensible reduction and deadwooding takes the load off the limbs most likely to come down when it blows.
01 · Risk scenario
When this becomes a problem
If any of this is happening, it's worth a look. No pressure, no obligation.
- The canopy's grown too big, too dense, or it's blocking your view or light.
- There's deadwood up there you'd rather not have over the house or the kids' trampoline.
- Storm season's coming and weak or heavy limbs need taking back.
- A tree's structure needs work now so it grows the right way for years to come.
02 · Method
How we do it
- 1 We assess the tree's health and structure first, then prune to AS 4373.
- 2 Selective reduction and thinning that keeps the tree healthy, not a flat-top hack job.
- 3 Deadwooding and crown lifting to clear the house, the driveway and the sightlines.
- 4 Clean cuts at the right points so regrowth comes back strong, not weak and dangerous.
03 · What's included
What you get
- Pruning to AS 4373 (Australian Standard for amenity trees)
- Deadwood, crossing and hazard limbs removed
- Cuttings chipped and carted away
- Full cleanup before we leave
04 · Cost
What affects the price
Two trees that look the same can be very different jobs. The number moves with these factors.
- 01 How much canopy is coming off: one limb vs a full reduction.
- 02 The tree's height, and whether it's reachable from the ground vs by climbing.
- 03 Whether it's a protected category (very large trunk, koala feed tree, heritage), which limits canopy work to 20% over two years.
- 04 Volume of green waste to chip and remove off site.
Typical range
Most pruning jobs $400 – $2,000+
Depends on the tree's size, how much comes off, and access for the chipper. We quote in writing after a look.
See the full cost breakdown05 · Council & safety
What council expects, and how we keep it safe
06 · Real job proof
One we've done
Drawn from a genuine customer review.
Heavy pruning of a large poinciana
- The problem
- A large poinciana that had grown heavy and needed a substantial, careful reduction.
- How we did it
- Heavy pruning to AS 4373, reducing the canopy while keeping the tree's structure sound.
- The result
- A clean, professional reduction that kept the tree healthy and the customer impressed.
We leave it spotless
Filming soon · 60–90 sec
Proof, not promise
We leave it spotless
The line that comes up in more reviews than any other is "left it cleaner than they found it". The video shows the same job before, during and after the rake-and-blow. No tricks, no editing magic, just how we finish every site.
Straight answers
Questions we get asked
Can you just top it to keep it short?
I won't, and here's why. Topping is hack work. You cut the main leader off, you're left with ugly stubs that rot, and the regrowth comes back weak and dangerous. In two years you've got a bigger problem than you started with. I'm not putting my name on bad work.
What I'll do instead is a proper canopy reduction that keeps the tree healthy and gets you the size and shape you're after. Most people are glad once they understand the difference.
Do you prune to a standard?
Yes. We prune to AS 4373, the Australian Standard for pruning amenity trees. That covers how much you can safely take, where the cuts go, and protecting the tree's structure. It matters for the tree's health and it matters if the tree is protected and council is involved.
Can you bring back my view or let more light in?
Often, yes. Selective canopy thinning, crown lifting and reduction can open up a view or get light back into the yard without butchering the tree. We'll tell you what's possible while keeping the tree healthy, and flag anything that needs council sign-off first.
Should I prune before storm season?
It's smart. Cyclone season runs November to April up here. Deadwooding and a sensible canopy reduction before then takes the load off weak limbs so they're less likely to come down on the house when it blows. We saw plenty during Cyclone Alfred that a pre-season prune would have prevented.
Do you do tree pruning across the whole Tweed Coast and Gold Coast?
Yes. We cover the Tweed Coast and southern Gold Coast: Tweed Heads, Kingscliff, Cabarita, Pottsville, Bilambil Heights and the Northern Rivers, and across the border to Coolangatta, Tugun, Currumbin, Palm Beach and Burleigh Heads. See all the areas we serve, or call us to check your suburb.
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