Tree Removal Officer
Razor Blade Tree Specialists works throughout Officer, including estates such as Timbertop, Arcadia, Kaduna Park, Savannah, Officer Fields and Officer Central, as well as the older parts of the suburb around Bridge Road. We are a family-owned business from Narre Warren North, operating since 2006, with a Level 5 qualified arborist and our own crew on every job. Quotes are free and we leave your yard tidy when we finish.
About The Area
Officer sits about 48 km south-east of the Melbourne CBD, between Beaconsfield and Pakenham, and is part of Cardinia Shire. It is also the seat of the shire: Cardinia Shire Council moved its offices from Pakenham to Officer in November 2014, and the Civic Centre at 20 Siding Avenue is in the planned Officer Town Centre. Council's phone number is 1300 787 624. Officer has changed fast. Its population grew from 7,133 in 2016 to 18,503 at the 2021 census, and the suburb now has around fifteen schools, from Officer Secondary College and Officer Specialist School to several primary and independent campuses.
The name comes from the Officer family, early settlers, and the railway siding was originally called Officer's Wood Siding, a hint of the timber getting that followed settlement. A brickmaking industry started in the 1880s. Today, most of the suburb is made up of newer house blocks.
What Cardinia's rules mean for Officer blocks
Most Officer homes are in residential zones, where Clause 52.37 of the Cardinia Planning Scheme protects canopy trees. A canopy tree is taller than 5 metres, with a trunk circumference over 0.5 metres at 1.4 metres above ground and a canopy at least 4 metres across. Council's fact sheet says a permit is likely if the land is vacant, or if the land has a house and the trunk sits in the areas shown in its diagram. It also defines a boundary canopy tree as one with any part of its trunk within 6 metres of the narrowest street frontage or 4.5 metres of the rear boundary. Exemptions include dead trees, emergency works, maintenance pruning of less than a third of the canopy, and declared noxious weeds.
Other triggers still apply on top of that. Council's vegetation removal guidance says native vegetation on land of 4,000 square metres or more is likely to need a permit, as is vegetation covered by an overlay, an earlier permit condition such as an approved landscape plan, a covenant or a section 173 agreement. If a developer planted the tree as part of an approved landscape plan, it may need to stay, so check before removing it. Cardinia's Statutory Planning team can confirm land size free of charge. We will not tell you a tree is clear to go until these checks are complete.
Council land and power lines
Trees on nature strips, roads and reserves such as Comely Banks Recreation Reserve on Bridge Road are Council's responsibility, and Local Law 17 requires written consent to touch them. In Officer, trees near power lines are reported to AusNet Services on 1300 360 795, not Council.
Local species
Cardinia's local plant guide lists indigenous trees including Swamp Gum, Manna Gum, River Red Gum, Messmate, Narrow-leaved Peppermint, Blackwood, Silver Wattle, Black Wattle and Black Sheoak. In new estate gardens, the trees we deal with most are planted ornamentals and screening hedges that have outgrown small yards.
What We Do
In Officer we remove and prune trees on estate lots, trim and reduce screening hedges, remove palms and bamboo, and grind out stumps so you can landscape, lay paving or build. On the larger older properties we offer block clearing, mulching and green waste removal. If Cardinia Shire Council needs an assessment for a canopy tree permit, our Level 5 qualified arborist can write an arborist report. Storm and emergency call outs are available 24/7.
Why Razor Blade
We are a family-owned tree business that has operated since 2006, based at Narre Warren North, not far from Officer. Every job is supervised by a Level 5 qualified arborist and done by our own crew, never subcontracted. We hold $20m public liability insurance, work 7am to 5pm with emergency call outs 24/7, and clean up before we leave. Quotes are free with no obligation. We have 22 five-star Google reviews and work for homeowners, councils and schools. If a canopy tree permit might be involved, we raise it before quoting, not after.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Officer in Cardinia Shire or the City of Casey?
Officer is in Cardinia Shire. In fact, it is the seat of the shire, with Council's Civic Centre at 20 Siding Avenue, Officer. The phone number is 1300 787 624.
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Officer?
Often you will need to check. Clause 52.37 makes a permit likely for canopy trees (over 5 m tall, trunk circumference over 0.5 m at 1.4 m high, canopy 4 m or more) in residential zones where the land is vacant or the trunk sits in the setback areas shown in Council's fact sheet. Overlays, covenants, approved landscape plans and native vegetation on land of 4,000 square metres or more can also require a permit.
Can I remove a tree the developer planted in my estate?
Check first. Cardinia says vegetation may need to stay if it is a condition of an earlier permit, such as an approved landscape plan, or if a covenant or section 173 agreement applies. Your title documents and Council's Statutory Planning team can confirm.
Who do I call about a tree near power lines in Officer?
In Officer, contact AusNet Services on 1300 360 795. Cardinia Shire Council only handles power line tree reports in Beaconsfield, Pakenham and Emerald.
Can a canopy tree permit be quick?
Council says standalone canopy tree applications may be eligible for VicSmart, usually decided within 10 business days once all information is received. Applications combined with a development are unlikely to qualify.
How much does tree removal cost in Officer?
Pricing depends on the tree's size and condition, access through side gates and over fences, proximity to the house, and whether you want the stump ground and the green waste removed. We give free, no-obligation quotes.
What should I do after a storm?
Keep clear of fallen or hanging branches and any lines, then call us on 0481 111 804 for a 24/7 emergency call out. For unsafe trees on private property during a storm, Cardinia refers people to the SES on 132 500.
Can I send photos first?
Yes. Email photos to info@razorbladetreespecialists.com.au showing the whole tree, the trunk base and nearby fences or buildings. Let us know which estate or street you are in.