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Shrub & Hedge Trimming

Shrub & Hedge Trimming near you

Shrub and hedge trimming looks like the most routine job in the garden, and legally it is the least routine. A hedge is the one piece of ordinary planting in Australia that has its own statute, its own tribunal jurisdiction and, in Queensland, its own prescribed notice form. That is because hedges grow on boundaries, and boundaries are where gardening becomes law.

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In New South Wales, Part 2A of the Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006 lets a neighbour apply to the Land and Environment Court about a hedge, but only where there are two or more trees planted so as to form a hedge, they are at least two and a half metres high, and they severely obstruct sunlight to a window or a view from a dwelling. The Court has no power under that part to order compensation for the obstruction itself — it can order the hedge dealt with, not paid for.

In Queensland the framework is the Neighbourhood Disputes (Dividing Fences and Trees) Act 2011. A neighbour may use a Form 3 notice for removal of particular overhanging branches where branches overhang the boundary by more than fifty centimetres and are less than two and a half metres above the ground, provided the tree is not covered by a vegetation protection order. Above that height, or where the overhang is less, the route is an application to QCAT. The common law right to cut back to the boundary line survives alongside both.

Hedges, neighbours and the law in New South Wales and Queensland

The New South Wales high hedge jurisdiction is narrow by design. It applies only to a group of two or more trees planted so as to form a hedge that reaches at least two and a half metres, and only where the obstruction of sunlight to a window, or of a view from a dwelling, is severe. Ordinary shade, a single large tree, or a hedge that is merely annoying does not engage it. The Court also expects the parties to have attempted to resolve the dispute before a matter is listed for final hearing, and mediation, while not compulsory, is treated as an effective route.

Queensland approaches the same problem through the tree-keeper concept. The tree-keeper is generally the registered owner of the land the tree grows on. A neighbour may give a Form 3 notice for branches overhanging by more than fifty centimetres and less than two and a half metres above ground; the tree-keeper then has thirty days to respond, after which the neighbour may remove the branches and seek a limited contribution to the cost. For anything outside those thresholds, or where a vegetation protection order applies, the application goes to QCAT, which treats the safety of any person as the primary consideration.

What you may cut on a neighbour's plant, and what you may not

  • The common law right of abatement lets you remove overhanging branches and roots back to your boundary line, and no further.
  • In Queensland you do not have to return what you trim, though you may; under the Form 3 process the expectation is that removed branches go back over the fence.
  • You may not enter a neighbour's land to cut without permission, and you may not cut the tree's main structure from your side.
  • A vegetation protection order, council tree control or heritage listing overrides the abatement right entirely.
  • Cutting so heavily from one side that the plant dies or becomes unstable moves you from abatement into liability.
  • None of this applies to a hedge on your own land, which is simply yours to manage within your council's rules.

Formal hedge, informal screen and specimen shrub: three different cuts

  • A formal clipped hedge is cut to a plane, needs frequent light trimming, and must be tapered so the base is wider than the top or the bottom thins out.
  • An informal screen is shaped rather than sheared, keeping the natural habit while controlling size.
  • A specimen shrub is pruned selectively to open its structure, not clipped, and shearing one ruins it.
  • Flowering shrubs are timed to their flowering habit, because cutting at the wrong point removes next season's flowers.
  • Native screening species vary enormously in how hard they can be cut, and some will not reshoot from bare wood at all.
  • A hedge that has outgrown its position is a renovation project over several seasons, not a single heavy cut.

When to trim, and the nesting question

Light shaping cuts suit the growing season, when the plant recovers quickly, while harder structural work is usually better done as growth is starting rather than in the heat of an Australian summer. Cutting hard in January exposes bark that has been shaded for years, and sunburn on newly exposed wood is a real and permanent injury to a hedge.

The other seasonal consideration is wildlife. Dense hedges and screening shrubs are exactly where small birds nest, and native birds are protected under state wildlife legislation across Australia. A responsible contractor checks a hedge before starting rather than after, and defers work on a section holding an active nest. Ask the question before the trimmer starts, because once a nest is destroyed the conversation is a different one.

How a hedge trimming visit should run

  • A look at the whole hedge first to identify the intended line, the species and anything nesting in it.
  • A string line or a confirmed reference for the top, because a hedge cut by eye drifts every visit.
  • A taper cut into the sides so the base is wider than the top and light reaches the lower foliage.
  • Cutting back to just inside the previous line where size needs controlling, rather than following last year's outer growth.
  • Clean, sharp equipment, since torn stems on a clipped hedge brown off and show.
  • Clippings collected off the hedge and off the beds beneath it, not left to smother the base.
  • For a boundary hedge, a conversation with the neighbour before anyone reaches over the fence line.

Why hedges go bare, brown or lopsided

  • Vertical or top-heavy sides, which shade the lower foliage until it drops and leaves a bare base.
  • Cutting only the outside face each visit, so the hedge creeps outwards a little every year until it is too wide to fix.
  • Cutting into old bare wood on a species that will not reshoot from it, which leaves a permanent hole.
  • Hard cutting in summer heat, which sunburns newly exposed bark.
  • Blunt blades that leave crushed and torn stem ends, which brown off along the cut face.
  • Trimming one side of a boundary hedge hard from your side, which unbalances a plant whose roots and canopy sit next door.

Shrub & Hedge Trimming: frequently asked questions

Can I make my neighbour cut their hedge in New South Wales?

Only in narrow circumstances. Part 2A of the Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006 applies where there are two or more trees planted so as to form a hedge, at least two and a half metres high, causing severe obstruction of sunlight to a window or of a view from a dwelling. The Land and Environment Court also expects the parties to have tried to resolve the matter first. Note that the Court has no power under Part 2A to order compensation for the obstruction itself.

What is the Form 3 notice in Queensland?

It is the Notice for removal of particular overhanging branches under the Neighbourhood Disputes (Dividing Fences and Trees) Act 2011. You can use it where branches overhang the boundary by more than fifty centimetres and are less than two and a half metres above the ground, and where the tree is not protected by a vegetation order. The tree-keeper, generally the registered owner of the land the tree grows on, has thirty days to respond. If they do not, you may remove the branches and seek a limited contribution to the cost.

Can I just cut the branches hanging over my fence?

In general the common law right of abatement lets you remove overhanging branches and roots back to your boundary line, and Queensland's guidance says so expressly. The limits matter: you cannot enter the neighbour's land without permission, you cannot cut past the boundary, and you cannot do it at all where a vegetation protection order or council control applies. Cutting so hard that the plant dies or becomes unstable moves the problem from abatement to liability.

When should hedges be trimmed in Australia?

Light shaping through the growing season and harder work as growth starts, rather than in midsummer heat, which sunburns newly exposed wood. Before any hedge is cut, check for nesting birds: native birds are protected under state wildlife legislation, dense hedges are prime nesting habitat, and a contractor should be checking a hedge before the trimmer starts rather than discovering a nest halfway along it.

My hedge is bare at the bottom. Can it be fixed?

Sometimes, and it depends on the species. The usual cause is a hedge cut with vertical or top-heavy sides, so the lower foliage was shaded out. If the species reshoots from old wood, renovating over two or three seasons with a proper taper, so the base is wider than the top, will bring it back. If it does not reshoot from bare wood, the bare section is permanent and the realistic options are underplanting or replacement.

Sources

  1. NSW Land and Environment Court: Trees and hedges under the Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006
  2. Queensland Government: What to do if a neighbour's tree is affecting you
  3. QCAT: Overhanging branch disputes and the Form 3 notice

Written by the LokalMatch editorial team. Last reviewed 22 September 2026. How we write and check our guides

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What affects the cost of hedge trimming

Prices depend on the details of your project. We only publish price ranges when they’re backed by real LokalMatch quote data or reliable sources. Until then, here’s what usually changes the price:

  • Size of the yard and the scope of the design
  • Grading, excavation and drainage work
  • Hardscape materials, such as stone, pavers or wood
  • Plants, sod and soil
  • Access for machinery
  • Removal of old materials, trees or stumps
  • How often visits are scheduled for ongoing services

How to compare landscapers before you hire

  • Choose a company that does the kind of work you need, since design, lawn care, tree work and hardscaping are different specialties.
  • For big projects, ask for a site plan or drawing before work starts.
  • Ask how they'll handle grading and drainage so water moves away from the house.
  • For tree removal or large pruning, look for a qualified arborist with liability insurance.
  • For ongoing services like lawn care or snow removal, get the visit schedule and what's included in writing.

Questions to ask landscapers before you hire

  • Can I see a plan or drawing before you start?
  • How will you handle drainage and grading?
  • Will you have underground utilities located before you dig?
  • Does any of this work need a permit, such as for a retaining wall, fence or tree removal?
  • What plants or materials do you recommend for our climate and my yard's sun and shade?
  • Do you guarantee plants or sod, and for what conditions?
  • Can you show me proof of liability insurance?

When to call a pro for hedge trimming

  • Water that pools near the house or in the yard after rain
  • A tree that is leaning, cracked or has large dead branches over the house or a driveway
  • A retaining wall that is bulging, leaning or cracking

Hedge trimming permits and local rules

Some hedge trimming work needs a permit or has to meet local bylaws. Rules vary by municipality, so ask your pro whether a permit is needed and who will apply for it — and check with your city or town if you’re unsure.

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Seasonal maintenance

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