From harbourside slopes to the coastal cliffs, Sydney's Eastern Suburbs are home to some of the city's most valuable trees, and some of its tightest building sites. Synertree provides independent arborist reports, Arboricultural Impact Assessments (AIAs) and project arborist services across the east. Arborist reports and AIAs start from $880 + GST (AIAs for one tree), and you'll have a fixed quotation within 24 hours.
Arborist reports from $880 + GST · AIAs from $880 + GST for one tree · Fixed quotations within 24 hours · All reports are completed by an AQF Level 5 or AQF Level 8 Arborist
What's included in an AIA from $880 + GST (one tree): a basic development proposal. We supply our captured tree data to your architect and landscape architect, and their plans show the tree retention and removal plan. ArborCAD Tree Protection Plans aren't included. ArborCAD Tree Protection Plans and larger or complex sites are quoted separately on your plans, with a fixed quotation within 24 hours.
Randwick, Waverley, Woollahra, Bondi, Bondi Junction, Bronte, Tamarama, Clovelly, Coogee, South Coogee, Maroubra, Malabar, Little Bay, La Perouse, Matraville, Kensington, Kingsford, Queens Park, Paddington, Centennial Park, Edgecliff, Darling Point, Double Bay, Point Piper, Bellevue Hill, Rose Bay, Dover Heights, Vaucluse, Watsons Bay and the surrounding suburbs.
We work across the following council areas:
Our AIAs and arborist reports are prepared to suit each council's DA tree requirements, and to AS 4970:2025.
Shallow sandstone and exposed sites. Much of the east sits on Hawkesbury sandstone with shallow, sandy soils. Roots run wide and close to the surface, often following rock joints and old garden walls. When a basement, pool or rock-cut is proposed, the question isn't just how big the Tree Protection Zone is. It's where the roots really are. Non-destructive AirSpade investigation and LiDAR 3D root mapping answer that question with evidence.
Coastal wind and salt. Trees on the clifftops and beachfront ridges grow in hard conditions. Wind-shaped canopies, salt burn and leaning trunks aren't automatically defects, but they do need careful assessment. We use QTRA and ISA TRAQ methods to separate trees that are genuinely high risk from trees that have simply adapted to the coast.
Heritage gardens and significant figs. Old estates, harbourside gardens and heritage conservation areas often carry mature Moreton Bay and Port Jackson figs, Norfolk Island pines and other landmark trees. These trees can shape what is possible on a site. Our reports set out each tree's significance and the protection it needs, so heritage and development considerations can be resolved together.
Tight terrace lots and neighbours' trees. On narrow terrace and semi-detached lots, a single tree next door can control where footings go. We assess neighbouring trees from your side of the boundary and design protection that works in tight spaces. That includes pier footings, bridging beams and hand excavation with hold points.
Street trees and driveways. New crossovers, service connections and front fences frequently run past large street trees. We calculate the impact to AS 4970:2025 and recommend a layout that protects both the tree and your approval.
Steep harbourside blocks. Slopes mean retaining walls, cut and fill, and access for machinery. All of these affect root zones. Our ArborCAD Tree Protection Plans show the protection measures on your plans, so builders know exactly what they can and can't do.
Q: Do you work in the Randwick, Waverley and Woollahra council areas?
A: Yes. We prepare arborist reports, AIAs and project arborist work across the Randwick, Waverley and Woollahra council areas and the eastern parts of the City of Sydney, with reports prepared to suit each council's DA tree requirements.
Q: Do I need an AIA for a basement or pool in the Eastern Suburbs?
A: If the excavation comes within the Tree Protection Zone of a protected tree on your land, next door or in the street, council will usually ask for an AIA to AS 4970:2025. Send us your plans and we'll confirm.
Q: Can you prove roots aren't where the calculation says they are?
A: Often, yes. On sandstone sites roots tend to follow rock joints and soil pockets. AirSpade investigation and LiDAR 3D root mapping show their true location without harming the tree.
Q: My tree leans and has salt burn. Is it dangerous?
A: Not necessarily. Coastal trees adapt to wind. A QTRA or ISA TRAQ risk assessment tells you whether the risk is acceptable and what, if anything, should be done.
Q: How much does an arborist report cost in the Eastern Suburbs?
A: Arborist reports start from $880 + GST for 1–5 trees. AIAs start from $880 + GST for one tree on a basic development proposal. ArborCAD Tree Protection Plans and larger or complex sites are quoted separately on your plans, with a fixed quotation within 24 hours.
Email your plans or photos to info@synertree.com.au for a fixed quotation within 24 hours.