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About us

A family-run business since 2004.

Above All Tree Services was founded in 2004 by Wayne Back. It started out with small tree removals and pruning jobs with minimal equipment, and has grown from a staff of two to seven full-time employees and eleven casual and contract staff, with the equipment to do the most difficult jobs. When you call, you speak to the people who do the work.

Who we work for

From backyards to school grounds and Sydney Water sites.

Our clients have grown from private homeowners to include the facilities managers Downer (formerly Spotless), Cushman & Wakefield and Evolve on school grounds, Fulton Hogan on Sydney Water projects, eight strata management companies, construction companies, landscaping businesses and public and private schools. The standard is the same for all of them: appropriately trained staff, proper safety procedures, and insurance at or above the industry standard.

Downer (formerly Spotless) — school grounds
Cushman & Wakefield — schools
Evolve — schools
Fulton Hogan — Sydney Water projects
Eight Sydney strata management companies
Public and private schools
Construction and landscaping companies

Insurance

$20 million public liability (XL Insurance Company SE via Brooklyn Underwriting, to 30 June 2027)
$20 million products liability (same policy)
$5 million professional indemnity
Workers compensation (CGU)
Heavy motor vehicle insurance (Allianz)

Certificates of currency

Public and products liability — certificate of currency — $20 million, XL Insurance Company SE (Brooklyn Underwriting), 30 June 2026 to 30 June 2027

Memberships

Above All Tree Services Pty Ltd · ABN 41 162 658 933 · ACN 162 658 933

The team

Who you'll meet, and what they hold.

Every qualification listed as held. Rail (RISI, ARTC) and Sydney Airport (SACL) inductions across the crew.

Owners and consulting arborists

Wayne Back

Director · consulting arborist · climber

Wayne founded Above All in 2004 after more than 20 years running his own veterinary practice. He still climbs, and teaches chainsaw operations part-time at TAFE NSW. He is a volunteer Deputy Captain, Training Officer and Zone Trainer with the NSW Rural Fire Service.

Diploma of Horticulture (Arboriculture), AQF Level 5 (2009), plus Certificates III and IV
Chainsaw operations Levels 1, 2 and 3
Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment
Elevated Work Platform licence (over 11 m)
Electrical Close Approach licence
RISI, ARTC and Sydney Airport (SACL) inductions
White Card, Asbestos Awareness, First Aid, Working With Children
Bachelor of Veterinary Science

Alex Back

Co-owner · manager · quotes

Alex runs the office and does most of the quoting, so he is usually the person you meet first. Customers' reviews mention him by name more than anyone else.

Certificate II in Horticulture (Arboriculture)
Chainsaw operations Levels 1 and 2
RISI, ARTC and Sydney Airport (SACL) inductions
White Card, Asbestos Awareness, First Aid

Joshua Baber

Consulting arborist · supervising climber

Josh is a professional climber and supervising arborist, and the consulting arborist who writes our arborist reports for councils, development sites and disputes.

Diploma of Horticulture (Arboriculture), AQF Level 5 (2009), plus Certificates III and IV
Chainsaw operations Levels 1 and 2
Elevated Work Platform licence (over 11 m)
Electrical Close Approach licence
RISI, ARTC and Sydney Airport (SACL) inductions
White Card, Asbestos Awareness, First Aid

The crew

Nathan Waihi

Groundsman · EWP operator

Elevated Work Platform licence (over 11 m)
RISI, ARTC and Sydney Airport (SACL) inductions
White Card, Asbestos Awareness, First Aid

Daniel Back

Groundsman

RISI, ARTC and Sydney Airport (SACL) inductions
White Card, Asbestos Awareness, First Aid

Liam McTackett

Groundsman

Sydney Airport (SACL) induction
White Card, Asbestos Awareness

Kayla Back

Groundswoman

White Card (WH&S Construction Induction)

Questions

Questions about us.

Do you clean up afterwards?

Yes. Every job finishes with a full clean-up, which is what our reviews mention most. Branches are chipped on site and all green waste is taken away. If you'd like to keep the firewood, just say and we'll leave it for you.

How much does tree removal cost?

It depends on the tree's size, access, what's underneath and whether you want the stump ground. Our cost guide explains what drives the price. Quotes are free.

Do I need council approval to remove a tree in the Sutherland Shire?

Usually, yes. Sutherland Shire Council protects any tree with a trunk 100 mm or more across, measured 500 mm above the ground, plus all bushland vegetation. There are exemptions for about 30 listed species, weeds, dead trees and some pruning. Our Sutherland Shire guide walks through the rules step by step, and we'll confirm it on site when we quote.

Are the rules the same in every council?

No. Every council sets its own size limits, exempt species and fees, and they differ a lot: some go by height, some by trunk size, and some by both. We've summarised the rules for every council we cover.

Do you prune trees as well as remove them?

Yes, and it's most of what we do. Deadwooding, crown thinning, weight reduction and clearance from roofs, gutters and service wires, all to the Australian pruning standard AS 4373, never lopping. Most councils let you prune a small share of the canopy without a permit; we tell you where the line is for your council.

Are you qualified and insured?

Yes. Wayne Back and Joshua Baber are AQF Level 5 consulting arborists. Our crews hold EWP (over 11 m) and Electrical Close Approach licences and rail and airport inductions. We carry $20 million public and products liability (certificate of currency on our About page), $5 million professional indemnity and workers compensation.

Are quotes free?

Yes. We come out, look at the tree and give you a free, no-obligation quote, usually within 24 to 48 hours of your call. Stumps can be quoted from a photo.

Where are you based, and how far do you travel?

We work from four bases: Engadine in the south, Ryde and Gordon in the north, and Bankstown in the south-west, so a crew is never far from anywhere in Sydney. Our areas page has the map, with our bases marked, and every suburb we cover.

Who will I deal with?

Alex usually quotes, and Wayne or Josh supervises the work. When you call, you speak to the people who do the job.

Free quote

Tell us about the tree.

Free, no-obligation quotes. When you call, you speak to the people who do the work.

02 9154 5133Call us

Monday to Friday 8:00 am – 5:30 pm · Saturday 8:00 am – 1:00 pm · Sunday Closed

Get a free quote

Tell us about the tree. Alex or Wayne will call you back. required

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Your details go only to Above All Tree Services. See our privacy note.

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We'll call you back. Urgent? Ring us on 02 9154 5133.