Council permit reports, VCAT reports, pre-purchase inspections, development assessments and risk reports, prepared to the standard Victorian councils actually require. Serving Frankston, the Mornington Peninsula, Kingston, Glen Eira, Monash, Greater Dandenong and Casey.
Most tree disputes in Victoria come down to paperwork. A council doesn't ask "is this tree a problem", it asks "does the evidence show this tree is a problem, assessed against a recognised standard, by someone qualified to say so." That's what a proper arborist report does, and it's the difference between a permit application that sails through and one that comes back three times with more questions.
We write reports for council permits, VCAT hearings, pre-purchase inspections, development and subdivision applications, insurance claims, and straightforward risk assessments where you just need to know if a tree is safe. Every report is written by an AQF-qualified arborist who has actually stood under the tree, not templated from a desktop review of a photo you emailed through.
If you're not sure which type of report you need, call us. Most people aren't, and it takes two minutes on the phone to work out.
Different situations call for different reports. Here's what we write most often, and what each one is actually for.
The most common report we write. Required when a tree sits within a Vegetation Protection Overlay, on a Significant Tree Register, or over a local law's circumference threshold. Includes species ID, health and structural assessment, and a removal or retention recommendation.
Buying a property with mature trees? We assess every significant tree before you sign, flag anything protected, and estimate what ongoing maintenance or removal is likely to cost you after settlement.
For architects, builders and owners planning an extension, knockdown-rebuild or subdivision. Includes Tree Protection Zone calculations to AS 4970, construction management recommendations, and a plan council planners can actually work from.
A focused assessment of whether a specific tree is likely to fail and what the consequences would be if it did. Useful for body corporates, landlords, schools and anyone who needs a documented answer to "is this tree safe".
Independent expert evidence for VCAT hearings, planning objections, or neighbour disputes over trees near a boundary. Written to stand up under cross-examination, not just to support a predetermined conclusion.
Documentation for storm damage, fallen tree, or fallen limb claims. Establishes the cause, whether the tree was healthy beforehand, and the extent of damage, in the format insurers ask for.
A report is only as good as the person who wrote it and the site visit behind it.
Nathan Hawes holds the highest field-recognised qualification in the industry and has over 10 years preparing reports specifically for council and planning use.
Tree Protection Zones calculated to AS 4970. Risk assessed against recognised frameworks. Every figure in the report can be traced back to a measurement, not an impression.
Different councils format their permit conditions differently, and we've written enough reports across enough municipalities to know the version each one expects.
If the honest assessment is that a tree should stay, we'll say so, even if you called us hoping for a removal recommendation. A report that isn't honest isn't worth the paper it's printed on.
We tell you upfront how long your report will take, and if you're working to a council or VCAT deadline, we'll tell you honestly whether it's achievable.
If council comes back with a question about the report, we respond to it at no extra charge. We stand behind what we write.
A one-page letter saying "this tree looks fine to me" isn't an arborist report, and most councils will reject it. A proper report has a consistent structure so a planning officer can find what they need without reading the whole thing twice.
Every report we write covers tree identification, a documented health and structural assessment, dated photographs, and a clear recommendation tied back to the reason the report was commissioned. Development reports go further, adding Tree Protection Zone diagrams and construction advice specific to the site.
If a significant tree sits anywhere near a proposed extension, knockdown-rebuild or subdivision, most Victorian councils will want an arborist report before they'll assess the planning application at all. Getting this wrong, or leaving it until late in the design process, is one of the most common reasons a project stalls.
We work directly with architects, builders and owners early, before floor plans are locked in, so the report actually informs the design rather than getting bolted on afterward. For VCAT matters, our reports are written as independent expert evidence, structured to hold up under questioning rather than simply support whichever side commissioned them.
Council submission due, VCAT hearing date set, or settlement approaching? Tell us your timeline when you call and we'll give you an honest answer on whether we can meet it.
📞 (03) 9525 7667 — Discuss Your TimelineNot every tree job needs paperwork. Here's when it genuinely does.
If your tree is protected under a Vegetation Protection Overlay, Significant Tree Register, or a local law circumference rule, most councils won't process a removal permit without a supporting report.
Any development application near a significant tree typically needs a Tree Protection Zone assessment before council will even consider the plans.
A pre-purchase report tells you what you're actually taking on before you're contractually committed, not after.
Disputes over overhanging branches, root damage or a tree's safety often need independent expert evidence to actually resolve.
Storm damage claims move faster with a report documenting the tree's condition before failure and the cause of the damage.
If you're genuinely unsure whether a tree near your home, tenants or workplace is a risk, a risk assessment gives you a documented answer instead of a guess.
Pricing depends on the report type and how many trees are involved, not a flat industry rate.
A single-tree council permit report is usually the cheapest and quickest option, because it's one site visit and one assessment. Development reports cost more because they involve Tree Protection Zone calculations, cross-referencing a site survey, and often multiple trees. VCAT reports are priced individually since the scope depends entirely on what's being disputed.
We confirm the price before we visit the site, based on a short phone conversation about what you need the report for. No report leaves our office with a surprise invoice attached.
Every council in Victoria runs its own version of tree protection, and the paperwork they expect isn't identical. Kingston works off a simple circumference measurement. Monash and Frankston rely on Vegetation Protection Overlays that vary street by street. Casey has no blanket rule at all, working instead from a Significant Tree Register and separate native vegetation controls. Getting the report format wrong is one of the most common reasons an application gets bounced back.
We've prepared reports across each of the following municipalities and know what a planning officer in each one is actually going to check first.
Councils we regularly prepare reports for:
Most people calling us aren't sure whether they need a permit report, a risk assessment, or something else entirely. That's fine. Tell us the situation and we'll tell you honestly what's required.
Most enquiries are resolved in a single phone call. We'd rather spend five minutes upfront than have you order the wrong report.
Call and ask →Simple and transparent, from your first call to a finished document.
We work out exactly what report you need and why, and confirm a fixed price before booking a site visit.
Nathan visits the property, measures and assesses the tree in person, and takes dated photographs.
The report is written to the format your specific council or purpose requires, referencing relevant standards.
You receive the finished report, ready to lodge with council, submit to VCAT, or forward to your insurer or conveyancer.
If council or VCAT comes back with a question about the report, we respond at no extra charge.
Straight answers to what people ask us before booking a report.
A standard single-tree report for a straightforward council permit application typically starts around $350 to $450. Development and subdivision reports covering multiple trees, tree protection zone plans and construction management advice generally run from $600 up to $1,500 or more depending on the number of trees and the complexity of the site. VCAT and planning dispute reports are quoted individually once we understand what's being contested. We give you a fixed price before we start, not an estimate that grows once we're on site.
Most single-tree reports for a straightforward council permit are ready within 3 to 5 business days of the site visit. Larger development reports covering several trees can take 7 to 10 business days, mainly because tree protection zone plans need to be checked against the site survey. If you're up against a council deadline, tell us when you book and we'll let you know honestly whether we can meet it.
Yes. We write reports to the standard Victorian councils expect for permit and planning applications, including the assessment methodology, photographs, and tree protection zone calculations required under AS 4970. Our lead arborist Nathan Hawes has had reports accepted without revision by multiple metropolitan councils, and if a council does come back with a query, we'll respond to it at no extra charge.
An arborist report is the general term for any written assessment prepared by a qualified arborist, and it can serve several different purposes. A tree risk assessment is a specific type of arborist report focused purely on the likelihood and consequence of a tree failing, usually scored against a recognised methodology like QTRA. If you need a report for a council permit or development application, it will usually include some risk assessment as part of a broader document. If your only concern is whether a tree is dangerous, a risk assessment on its own may be all you need.
It depends on your council and the tree in question. Many Victorian councils require a written arborist report as part of any application to remove a significant or protected tree, particularly where the tree sits within a Vegetation Protection Overlay, on a Significant Tree Register, or above a local law's circumference threshold. If a tree is an immediate safety hazard, some councils allow removal without a permit, but it's still worth having a report to document the hazard in case you're asked to justify the decision later.
Yes, provided we can get reasonable access to assess the tree, or in some cases assess it from your side of the boundary using photographs and measurements. This is common for disputes involving overhanging branches, root damage, or a tree your neighbour won't act on. We'll tell you upfront if limited access is going to affect the report's usefulness for a formal dispute.
A pre-purchase report identifies every significant tree on or near the property, assesses its health and structural condition, flags any tree that's protected under the relevant council's rules, and estimates the likely cost of any pruning or removal work the property will need. It gives you a clear picture before you're locked into a contract, rather than finding out after settlement that a large gum needs $4,000 of remedial work.
Tell us what you need the report for and we'll confirm the right type and a fixed price.
Call us for a fixed-price quote. Council permits, VCAT, pre-purchase, development and risk assessments, prepared by a Level 3 qualified arborist.
📞 (03) 9525 7667 — Call NowEvery job is led by a qualified arborist, not a labourer handed a chainsaw. Our team covers the full range of tree work, from technical pruning in tight residential gardens to large-scale removals, confined-space stump grinding, and the written reports council and VCAT actually accept. Here's who you're getting when you book with Redback.
Nathan is our lead consulting arborist with over 10 years of hands-on arboricultural experience across residential, commercial, and council work. Certified at Level 3, the highest field qualification in the industry, he writes arborist reports for council permit applications, VCAT matters and development proposals, and provides expert tree risk assessments. If you need a report that council will actually accept, Nathan writes it.
Ben holds a Certificate V in Arboriculture, one step above the standard trade qualification, and it shows in the work. He specialises in pruning large, established trees where technique and structural understanding matter, technical climb-and-cut work in confined spaces, and hedge trimming and maintenance programs for residential and commercial clients.
Tom is a Level 3 qualified arborist with a particular strength in technical pruning, getting structure and form right, not just cutting branches off. He handles confined-space tree removals where access is limited and precision matters, and takes on hedge trimming programs across our residential client base.
Jason has been doing this work for over 25 years. That kind of experience doesn't come from a classroom, it comes from working through every difficult scenario on every type of property. He's across all aspects of tree work and is one of our go-to people for confined-space stump removal.
Matthew manages the day-to-day operations of our arborist crew and is hands-on alongside the team. Cert III qualified and across the full range of tree work, including confined-space jobs where standard equipment can't get in.
Brayden's focus is tree removal, specifically the kind others find difficult. Confined-space removals in tight back gardens, narrow side passages, or sites with limited equipment access are his specialty, using rigging and controlled dismantling techniques that let you take down a large tree piece by piece.
403-405 Lower Dandenong Rd,
Dingley Village VIC 3172.
Office 2/455 North Rd, Ormond VIC 3204.
32 Simms Rd, Greensborough VIC 3088.
