Arborists & Tree Surgeons
Qualified arborists assessing tree health, risk and council requirements across Canberra.
Learn more →Canberra knows what a bad storm does
On 20 January 2020, Canberra was hit by the most destructive hailstorm in its recorded history — hail four to six centimetres across tore a path from the southern half of Belconnen, through Acton, into the inner southern suburbs. The ACT Emergency Services Agency fielded around 2,100 requests for help and the SES more than 2,500, triple its usual seasonal load, with fallen trees and shredded canopies among the most common calls. That day is a standing reminder: Canberra's mature eucalypts, brittle radiata pines and storm-loosened ornamentals can come down fast, and when they do, the response has to be measured, not panicked. The crews we connect you with are built for exactly that.
The order of operations matters
Emergency tree work isn't about speed for its own sake — it's about doing the right things in the right sequence:
- Make the scene safe — establish exclusion zones, confirm no live-line contact, and stabilise anything that could shift.
- Make the tree safe — remove or secure the immediate hazard, often by sectional dismantling rather than a straight fell, especially near a damaged roof or fence.
- Assess the rest — a storm that dropped one limb has usually cracked others; a proper crew checks for hangers and split unions before leaving.
- Clear and follow up — debris is cut down, chipped and cleared, with advice on any regulated removal still to come.
Power lines: know who to call
Evoenergy operates the ACT electricity network. If a fallen tree has brought down or is touching lines, that is a life-safety situation — call Evoenergy on 13 23 86 and stay back at least the length of a vehicle. On private land the tree owner is responsible for vegetation near their service line, and work within the minimum clearances (around 1m from a service line, 1.5m from a powerline, 2m in bushfire-prone areas) must be carried out by an accredited arborist. The crews we work with are set up to work safely around the network.
Why homeowners trust the response
Storm work is where corners get cut and cowboys appear. The network we connect you with is Trade Guardian verified and rated 5.0 stars across 17 Google reviews — a record earned in exactly these high-pressure situations, where doing it methodically protects your home and the people in it. Once the hazard is gone, the same crew handles the clean-up and mulching; where a whole tree has to come down it becomes a tree removal or complex tree felling job.
Call now if a tree is down
Don't wait out a hazard. Call the number on this page, describe what's fallen and what it's threatening, and we'll connect you with a Canberra arborist crew to make it safe. Back to the home page.
More services
Explore our other services
Tree Removal
Complete removal of dead, diseased or unwanted trees, residential and commercial.
Learn more →Complex Tree Felling
Controlled, sectional felling for large or tight-access trees near structures and power lines.
Learn more →Complete Stump Removal
Full stump and root extraction, plus grinding options, for a clean, usable block.
Learn more →Crown Reduction & Lopping
Size and shape management, including dead-wooding, to keep trees safe and healthy.
Learn more →Clean-Up & Mulching
Full site clean-up with green waste chipped and mulched on-site where possible.
Learn more →
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
A tree is on my house right now — what should I do first?
Keep everyone well clear of the tree and any fallen or sagging power lines, and don't try to move limbs yourself. If lines are down or arcing, call Evoenergy on 13 23 86 immediately and treat every line as live. If there's a threat to life, call 000; for non-life-threatening storm damage the ACT SES is on 132 500. Once the scene is safe from live-line risk, call us and we'll connect you with an arborist crew to make the tree and structure safe.
Do I need council approval for emergency tree work?
In a genuine emergency where a tree poses an immediate danger to people or property, urgent make-safe work can proceed — the Urban Forest Act 2023 recognises imminent-risk situations. But that's not a blanket licence: the qualified arborist will make only the cuts needed to remove the danger, document the condition, and advise whether a tree activity application through City Services is required for any follow-up removal. Doing it properly protects you from the Act's penalties, which reach up to $80,000 for an individual.
How fast can someone get there?
Storm and emergency work is prioritised by risk — a tree through a roof or across a driveway is handled ahead of routine jobs. Because we connect you with established local Canberra crews rather than a single roaming truck, there's genuine capacity when the weather turns. Call the number on this page and describe the situation; the more detail on what's fallen and what it's threatening, the faster the right response can be sent.
Free, no-obligation