The short answer
On open ground with good access, a qualified climber goes up on ropes and takes the tree apart section by section — usually the faster method. Where access is tight, the canopy is over a structure, or the tree is close to power lines, we bring one of our insulated elevated work platforms instead, working from the basket for precise control over where each section lands. Access decides which, every time.
If you’ve booked a tree removal, it’s worth knowing what actually happens on the day — because the method changes what the crew looks like when they arrive, how long the job takes, and sometimes what it costs. Here’s how we decide between climbing and the platform, and what each one actually looks like on site.
Climbing: the crew goes up the tree
On open ground with a clear run — no structures underneath, no power lines close by, room for the chipper right next to the base — a qualified climber goes up the tree on ropes and takes it apart from the top down, section by section, while the ground crew feeds the chipper. It’s direct, and on the right job it’s the faster method because there’s no machine to set up first.
Dylan, our Operations Manager, puts it plainly: climbing is slower and more time-consuming than the platform when the platform is actually an option — it’s one person up the tree all day, working section by section, rather than two people working together from a basket. It earns its place on the jobs where a machine genuinely can’t add anything: unrestricted ground, nothing overhead, nothing underneath.
The platform: precise control from the basket
Where the access is tight, the canopy sits over a fence or a roof, or the tree is close to live power lines, we bring one of our insulated elevated work platforms instead. The operator works from the basket rather than the tree itself, which gives much more precise control over exactly where a section lands — important when there’s a shed, a garden bed or a neighbour’s yard directly underneath.
Two people typically work together from the platform: one on the controls and the cut, one managing the rigging and the drop zone. It’s a different rhythm to climbing, but on the right job it’s both faster and safer than putting a person up on ropes.
What actually decides it
A handful of things on your property decide which method we use, and we walk through all of them when we quote:
- What’s underneath. A structure, a fence line or a garden you want kept intact points toward the platform’s precision.
- What’s overhead or nearby. Power lines close to the canopy call for an insulated, rated machine rather than a climber on ropes.
- Ground access. Can a truck actually get in and set up? Not every yard can take an elevated work platform, and that can tip the job back toward climbing.
- Chipper distance. Dragging debris a couple of metres to the chipper is quick; dragging it thirty metres to the street adds real time regardless of method.
As Dylan says: you can’t price two jobs the same, because every job is different. The method is part of that same conversation as the price.
A worked example
A large gum overhanging a shed, with a narrow side-access gate too tight for a truck. On paper it looks like a climbing job by default, since nothing can drive in. But the canopy sits close enough to next door’s power line that a climber working the top of the tree would be inside the clearance zone on ropes, which isn’t how we approach that risk. The actual answer was a smaller insulated platform that could thread through a wider rear gate we found on a site visit, reaching the canopy from an angle the narrow front gate never would have allowed. It’s a good example of why we look at the site in person rather than quoting from a description over the phone — the obvious-looking method isn’t always the real one.
Insurance and qualifications, either way
Whichever method the job needs, the crew is fully insured and the climbers hold the qualifications for the work — that doesn’t change between a climbing job and a platform job. What changes is the tools and the technique, not the standard of care. When you’re comparing quotes from different companies, it’s worth asking directly whether they climb, whether they have their own elevated work platform or need to sub-hire one, and whether their crew is insured for the specific method they’re proposing.
The 42-metre platform, for the biggest jobs
For the tallest and most awkward removals, we can bring in a 42-metre elevated work platform — reach that a climber or a smaller tower simply can’t match. It’s dry-rated and used mainly on our own tree removal work; Latrobe City Council also brings it in several times a year for trees their own trucks can’t reach. It’s not part of our EWP hire fleet — it’s a tree-services capability we keep for exactly this kind of job.
The training behind each method
Climbing and operating an elevated work platform are both skilled trades with their own training pathways, and neither is a shortcut version of the other. Climbers typically hold a Certificate III in Arboriculture and build rope and rigging skill over years on real trees, in real conditions — every tree climbs differently depending on species, lean and condition, and that judgement only comes from experience. EWP operators need the appropriate high-risk work licence for machines over 11 metres, plus the specific competency for the class of platform they’re running. On our crews, people are trained and ticketed for both, which is exactly what lets us choose the method the tree needs rather than the method whoever turned up happens to know.
Why this is considered high-risk work
Tree work is recognised across the industry as high-risk — height, moving equipment, chainsaws, falling material and unpredictable timber all in the same job. That’s precisely why the method matters as much as it does. A climber working without the right rope system, or an EWP operator working outside the machine’s rated envelope, is where serious incidents happen. Matching the method properly to the tree isn’t a formality — it’s the actual safety decision, made before the first cut, not worked out as the job goes.
Rigging: the part people don’t see
Whichever method gets a section of tree to the ground, rigging is usually doing quiet work in the background — ropes and rigging points that control the speed and direction a cut piece falls, rather than letting gravity decide. On a climbing job, the climber sets and resets rigging points as they work up and down the tree. From the platform, the second crew member on the ground manages the rigging while the operator handles the cut, which is part of why two people working together from a basket can move faster than one person doing every role solo up a tree.
Setup time versus working time
One thing that surprises people: an EWP job often has more setup time than a climbing job (getting the truck in, levelling the outriggers, checking clearances) but less working time once it starts, because two people can work together at a controlled pace rather than one person managing every part of the job from the tree itself. On a small tree, that setup overhead can make climbing the faster overall choice even when a platform would technically fit. On a bigger or more complex tree, the platform usually wins on total time despite the setup, because the working phase is so much more efficient. This is part of why we look at the whole job rather than defaulting to one method because it sounds more advanced.
Frequently asked questions
Do you climb the tree or use a machine?
Whichever the access calls for. Open ground with a clear run gets a climber on ropes, which is usually the faster option. Tight access, a canopy over a structure, or a tree near power lines gets one of our insulated elevated work platforms instead.
Is climbing cheaper than using the platform?
Not necessarily — it depends on the job. Climbing can take longer because it’s one person working the whole tree, while the platform lets two people work together. The price comes from the whole picture: access, size, and what’s around the tree, not the method alone.
Can a platform get into every backyard?
No — ground access, gate width and overhead clearance all matter. If a machine genuinely can’t get in, climbing is the answer regardless of what’s around the tree.
What happens if the tree is right over my house?
It’s dismantled in controlled sections rather than dropped, using whichever method — climbing or the platform — gives the most precise control for that specific canopy and roofline.
How many people come to do the job?
Typically two to three: the person cutting (climbing or in the basket), someone managing the rigging and drop zone, and someone feeding the chipper on the ground.
Is one method safer than the other?
Both are safe when matched properly to the tree and carried out by a trained crew. The risk comes from using the wrong method for the conditions — climbing near a live line, or a platform on ground it cannot safely stand on — not from one method being inherently riskier than the other.
Can I ask for a specific method when I book?
You can ask, and we will always explain our recommendation, but the final call comes down to what the tree and the site actually allow safely on the day.
Not sure which your tree needs?
Send us a photo or have us out for a look — we’ll tell you the method, the price, and why, all in the one free quote.
Related reading: How much does tree removal cost in Gippsland? · Tree removal across Gippsland · Insulated EWP hire
A note on this guide: the method used on your job is decided on site, based on the tree, the access and what’s around it — this guide explains how that decision is made, not a guarantee of which method applies to any specific tree.
