Stump Removal Ballarat
How a stump should be dealt with depends on what you want to put there next, from a shallow grind for lawn to digging out the whole root plate for a slab. In parts of Ballarat it’s also worth knowing what’s under the ground first: Sebastopol alone has about 50 old mine shafts.
This page is from Tree Removal Ballarat. It explains which method suits which job, and what to do if the ground keeps sinking afterwards.
Grinding or full removal?
| Stump grinding | Full stump and root removal | |
|---|---|---|
| What happens | The stump is chipped away below ground level. The main roots stay in the ground and rot over time. | The stump and root plate are dug out, usually with an excavator. |
| Good for | Lawn, garden beds, and clearing a trip hazard | Slabs, footings, driveways, and anywhere the ground must stay solid |
| Mess and disturbance | A pile of wood grindings and a shallow hole | A large hole that needs proper backfill and compaction |
| Ground afterwards | May settle slightly as buried roots rot | Stable if backfilled and compacted properly |
Tell us what the area will be used for and how deep you need it cleared. That decides the method and the price far more than the stump’s diameter.
Ground that keeps sinking: stump or something older?
A patch of lawn that sinks where a tree used to be is often just the old stump and roots rotting away, or a hole that was filled with loose soil or wood when the tree came out. A City of Ballarat infrastructure manager has pointed to removed tree stumps as one cause of depressions opening up around the city.
In Ballarat’s old mining suburbs, though, a sinking patch isn’t always a stump. Sebastopol alone has about 50 old mine shafts according to its historical society. In 2016 the timber cap on the Central Plateau No. 2 shaft at Grant and Walker Streets gave way, exposing a shaft at least 254 metres deep. A mine shaft has also opened up in a Ballarat East backyard, and in 2020 a boy fell into a sinkhole near his primary school in Black Hill.
- don’t keep filling a hole that keeps dropping or opens up underneath
- keep people and pets away from it and contact the City of Ballarat
- check historical mine locations near your address. The Sebastopol Historical Society points people to mindat.org.
- mention any history of sinking when you ask for a stump quote
Stumps that keep sending up shoots
Some trees come back from their roots even after the stump is ground. Ballarat is known for its elms, which the City describes as one of the most significant private and public elm populations in the world, and elms are well known for suckering from their roots. Grinding the stump removes the main source, but suckers can keep appearing across the lawn for a while. Keep mowing or cutting them off at ground level until the roots run out of energy.
Palms are the opposite. A single-trunk palm won’t regrow from its stump, so grinding a palm stump is only about reclaiming the space.
Before grinding starts
- Underground services. Get plans from Before You Dig Australia (BYDA). Gas, water and power often run closer to old trees than people expect.
- Your own pipes and cables. Irrigation lines, garden lighting and stormwater pipes won’t be on BYDA plans, so mark them if you know where they are.
- Access. Measure the narrowest gate or side path the grinder has to fit through.
- Replanting. If you want a new tree in the same spot, the grindings need to come out and be replaced with soil.
How a stump job runs
- Photos and plans. Send photos of each stump, roughly how wide they are, the narrowest access point, and what the area will be used for.
- Quote. The quote states the method, depth and what happens to the grindings.
- The work. Once services are checked, the stump is ground or dug out as quoted.
- Finish. The hole is left as agreed, either filled with grindings or cleared and backfilled ready for soil, turf or paving.
Clearing a whole site? See land clearing.
Common questions
Can I keep the grindings as mulch?
Yes. Grindings can be spread on garden beds, though fresh wood mulch is best kept a little away from plant stems. If you don’t want them, say so and the quote will include taking them away.
Will the ground sink after stump grinding?
It can settle a little as the remaining roots rot, so topping up with soil after a few months is normal. Ground that keeps dropping, or a hole that opens up underneath, is different. See the section above on old mining areas.
Can you grind a stump right next to a fence or house?
Usually, though the grinder needs room to work and the stump may not be ground right to the structure. Send photos showing how close it is.
Do I need a permit to remove a stump?
Not usually for the stump itself once the tree is legally removed. Digging in the road reserve or nature strip needs council approval. In the City of Ballarat, that’s a Works Within Roads Reserve Permit.
Get a quote
Send photos of your stumps and your plans for the area through the form, or call to talk it through.