Tier 01
Small residential block
$2,000-$5,000
Under 400 m², light vegetation, standard access.
Land clearing
Site preparation, done with restraint.
Council-compliant land clearing for construction and landscape work — inside TPO and BAL-rated constraints, every time.
- AQF Level 5 Arborists
- $20M Public Liability
- 40+ Years Experience
- Free Quotes
Land Clearing — at a glance
Land Clearing on the North Shore, by the numbers.
- Typical cost range
- $3,500 – $45,000+ depending on block size and vegetation density
- DA threshold
- Clearing over 500 sqm typically requires Development Application
- Biodiversity check
- Blue Gum High Forest and Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest trigger BDAR assessment
- BAL & APZ
- Bushfire Asset Protection Zone clearing scoped against Rural Fires Act 10/50 code
- Typical timeline
- 2-8 weeks for approvals; clearing over 1-5 days depending on scope
- Site rehabilitation
- Mulching and soil-stabilisation options available for post-clearing
Our practice
Land clearing without the shortcuts.
Cleared sites built on shortcuts end in fines, neighbour disputes, and DA rejections. Our land clearing work starts with the council map, a full TPO check, and a written clearing plan that matches what your DA actually allows.
We mark protected species before the chainsaws come out, keep a conservation buffer where bushland interfaces apply, and leave the site ready for the next trade — construction, landscape, or revegetation.
What's included
Every clearing, documented.
- 01
Pre-clearing TPO check
Every protected specimen identified and marked before cutting begins.
- 02
DA-aligned scope
Clearing matches the exact envelope the DA approved — no over-clearing risk.
- 03
Vegetation survey
Optional arborist report identifying species, diameters, and retention recommendations.
- 04
BAL-rated clearance
Asset Protection Zone clearing for bushfire-prone sites, matched to BAL rating.
- 05
Bushland buffer
Conservation-aware clearing where sites interface with national park.
- 06
Stump + root removal
Full below-turf grinding and root removal where the next use requires it.
- 07
Mulching on-site
All cleared vegetation mulched on-site for revegetation or removed to green waste.
- 08
Erosion control
Silt fencing and ground protection installed on sloped sites before work begins.
- 09
Trade handover
Site photographed and signed off so the next trade starts with a clean record.
How we work
Our clearing process.
Step 01
Site walk
Our senior arborist walks the site with your DA, marks up retention trees, and flags any concerns.
Step 02
Clearing plan
Written plan matching the DA envelope — what goes, what stays, what needs council liaison.
Step 03
Council advice
TPO notification requirements, arborist report scope, and DA compliance points flagged for the property owner — we don't lodge the paperwork, we tell you what's needed.
Step 04
Clearing day
Crew works the marked-up scope. Protected specimens flagged. Erosion controls in first.
Step 05
Handover
Site photographed, final walk-through, ready for the next trade to start.
Clearing outside your DA envelope is the fastest way to a stop-work order. We align every clearing plan to what's approved — no exceptions, no field expansions.
Arborist team
Service note
Indicative pricing
Land clearing pricing.
Every clearing is unique. Pricing scales with site size, vegetation density, slope, and DA complexity.
Tier 02
Standard development site
$5,000-$10,000
400-1,000 m², moderate vegetation, permit prep included.
Tier 03
Large / complex site
$10,000-$15,000+
Over 1,000 m², erosion control, council liaison, staged work.
Residential and commercial site clearing. Pricing varies by site size, vegetation density, terrain, and disposal path.
Request a site walkClient voices
What land clearing clients say.
Three recent notes from North Shore families we worked with.
5 out of 5 stars
Had them in before fire season to clear the bush down the back. They knew the 10/50 rules and what we could and couldn't touch. Proper job, no mucking around. Walked me through what council needed from me too, which was handy.
Jim O.
Hornsby
5 out of 5 stars
Had a huge gum leaning over the back of the house that we'd been worried about for ages. John came out, talked us through the options, and his crew had it down in a morning. Fair price and they swept the deck on the way out which was a nice touch.
Sarah T.
Chatswood
5 out of 5 stars
Storm took out half our liquidambar Thursday night. Called first thing Friday, they had someone here before lunch. Blocked the driveway off, cleared the debris, left it tidy. Sent the quote through before they started which I appreciated.
Michael C.
Gordon
Why builders trust us
Why North Shore builders call us first.
AQF arborists on site
Senior arborist on every site walk — not a subbie with a chainsaw.
DA-aligned scope
Clearing matches the approved envelope exactly. No stop-work orders from over-clearing.
Bushland-interface experience
Decades clearing next to Ku-ring-gai Chase and other bushland reserves.
Trade-ready handover
Clear sign-off so your builder, landscaper, or pool contractor can start day one.
Itemised line-items
Clearing, mulching, stump grinding, and paperwork each costed separately.
Strata + commercial
COI paperwork for strata committees and commercial construction principals.
Questions
Land clearing — frequently asked.
Almost always. North Shore LGAs protect trees above size thresholds and protect entire bushland zones under their LEP. Your DA should specify what can be cleared — we align the clearing plan to it exactly.
Yes. We run Asset Protection Zone clearing to the BAL rating your site carries (BAL-19, BAL-29, BAL-FZ) and flag the compliance-letter requirements — the letter itself is produced and lodged by the property owner or a consulting arborist.
A typical residential block runs $3,000–$12,000 depending on size, slope, vegetation density, and the scope of stump and root removal. Large sites and commercial jobs are costed per site after the walk.
Mulched on-site as a first choice — great for revegetation or landscape beds. Where it can’t be used, we remove it to green waste facilities. Nothing goes to landfill.
No — we don't lodge TPO notifications, DA submissions, or BAL compliance letters on your behalf. What we do is flag exactly what's required before clearing starts, so you or a consulting arborist can prepare and lodge the right paperwork with the council.
By suburb
Land clearing across every North Shore suburb.
Pick your region for council-specific clearing rules and bushfire-zone notes.
01
Lower North Shore
The Lower North Shore spans harbour-side suburbs between North Sydney and Roseville, covering Mosman, Willoughby, Lane Cove and North Sydney council areas. It's one of Sydney's most established tree canopies with tight Tree Preservation Orders and heritage overlays.
25 suburbs
02
Upper North Shore
The Upper North Shore runs along the Pacific Highway ridge from Roseville to Wahroonga, all under Ku-ring-gai Council. The suburb is known for large leafy blocks, bushland interface zones, and some of the strictest tree-preservation rules in New South Wales.
17 suburbs
03
Hornsby Shire
Hornsby Shire covers the northern end of the train line from Beecroft through Hornsby and up to Mount Kuring-Gai, bordering Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. It's a high-canopy bushland interface council with extensive tree controls and asset protection zone requirements.
24 suburbs
04
Ryde District
The Ryde district straddles the Parramatta River from Gladesville through to North Ryde, all under City of Ryde Council. The area mixes mid-century residential with Macquarie Park commercial precincts and river-frontage properties.
14 suburbs
05
Hunters Hill & Lane Cove
Hunters Hill and Lane Cove councils cover peninsula suburbs between Lane Cove River and the Parramatta River. It's Sydney's oldest garden suburb area — Hunters Hill is the oldest garden-suburb municipality in Australia — with blanket heritage controls and significant tree canopy.
13 suburbs
Ready to start?
Need a compliant clearing plan?
Book a free site walk. Our senior arborist will align the clearing plan to your DA and send a firm, itemised quote within 24 hours.