When you need it
Most lopping jobs we see around Townsville are one of these:
- Branches hanging over the roof and filling the gutters
- Limbs over the fence into the neighbour's yard
- A tree that's grown too tall or too wide for the block
- Branches rubbing on the power line to the house
- Clearing the driveway so the ute or caravan can get through
Lopping versus cutting a tree back properly
Here's the honest bit. Old-school lopping means hacking every limb back to a stub. It looks tidy for a few months, then the tree throws up a bushy mess of fast, weakly attached shoots. Those shoots get heavy, and in a big blow they're the first thing to snap off. The stubs also rot back into the tree.
So when you ask our tree loppers to lop a tree, we cut it back properly. We reduce the height and spread by cutting back to a healthy side branch, which keeps the tree in shape and means it regrows safely. You still get the smaller, tidier tree you were after.
How we do it
We'll walk around the tree with you and agree what's coming off. Then a climber goes up, makes the cuts, and lowers anything big on ropes. Branches near the roof or power line to the house get rigged down rather than dropped. Our tree cutters chip everything on the spot and rake up, so the yard's left clean.

Townsville-specific considerations
Rain trees, poincianas and African mahoganies are the big three for lopping here. They grow fast in the wet and get heavy over roofs. Getting them cut back before cyclone season (November to April) is the smart move. If it's the main street lines, that's an Ergon job, but the line from the pole to your place we can sort with them.
What it costs
Most tree cutting and pruning jobs land between $250 and $900 per tree. Big trees with tight access cost more, and doing a few trees in one visit brings the price per tree down.
| Job | Typical Townsville price (inc GST) |
|---|---|
| Tree pruning / trimming (per tree) | $250 – $900 |
| Small tree removal (under 5m) | $300 – $900 |
| Medium tree removal (5–10m) | $900 – $2,700 |
These are ballpark ranges. See the full Townsville tree removal price guide for what pushes a price up or down, or check our FAQs.
