Kotara
Tree removal in Kotara
Tree removal, lopping and stump grinding in Kotara, from the bush edge by Blackbutt Reserve to the steep blocks south of the railway.
Tree work in Kotara
Big trees on steep, narrow blocks
Kotara's subdivision ran on into the 1980s and followed the slope, with a curving street pattern and long narrow lots. A tree at the back of one of those lots is a long carry from the street, so access is the first thing a quote looks at.
South of the railway the suburb is undulating, and the Newcastle DCP names long steep driveways as part of its character. A machine that cannot get up the drive means the timber comes down by hand.
In the north of the suburb, large backyards with mature trees keep the natural backdrop of Blackbutt Reserve, and the council describes Kotara as homes within a bushland setting. Those are the yards where tall gums stand closest to the house.
Services in Kotara
Steep drives and tall gums
Tree removal
Tall gums at the back of long lots taken down in sections and carried out where no machine can reach.
Tree pruning
Dead wood and heavy limbs taken off the trees closest to the house before the storm season.
Stump grinding
Stumps ground out at the end of long, steep yards with a machine sized for the access.
How it works
From the first message to a written quote
The council question is settled before any price, and nothing is booked until you have said yes to a quote in writing.
- 1
Tell us what the tree is doing
Where it stands, what it hangs over and what you would like done about it.
- 2
A contractor comes to see it
A tree contractor who covers your suburb looks at the tree, the access and what is underneath it.
- 3
The council question is answered
Your council, the tree's height and trunk, its distance from the house and the species decide whether a permit or an exemption applies.
- 4
You get it in writing
Scope, timber, stump and date on one page, and nothing is booked until you have said yes.
Kotara questions
Bush edge and old workings
Is there old mine ground near Kotara?
There has been. Blackbutt Reserve grew from an ill-fated Kotara subdivision, and in 2014 building work at one of its recreation areas led to the discovery of an old mine shaft. It is worth mentioning anything unusual about the ground when a stump is being quoted.
Does a big tree near the house need a permit?
Kotara is in the City of Newcastle, where a tree located within 3m of the edge of a pool, or of a dwelling or a building over 20 square metres, is exempt from the permit. Further from the house, a tall tree usually needs the council's permit.
Why do Kotara quotes vary so much?
Mostly access. A tree reached up long steep driveways or down a long narrow lot takes longer to bring out than the same tree beside a flat street.
