Three different bits of country
Gosnells covers an unusual amount of variation for one council. Sand plain in the west at Thornlie and Canning Vale's edge, wet alluvial flats along the Canning River through Maddington and Gosnells itself, and clay over granite as the ground lifts toward Martin, Orange Grove and the base of the Darling Scarp.
Each of those needs a different conversation, so the first question on any job here is where in the council you are.
The river flats
Along the Canning and its drainage lines the characteristic native is flooded gum, Eucalyptus rudis, with paperbarks in the wettest ground. Flooded gums grow fast in damp soil, root shallow and wide, and shed limbs freely — a combination that produces a reliable stream of storm work every winter.
A good proportion of them are on reserve or foreshore land rather than private property, which puts them with the City. Where one is on a private block, deadwooding and reduction are usually a better and cheaper outcome than removal, because the species regrows and the tree is doing real work holding a bank together.
The wet ground also means whole-tree windthrow is more plausible here than on a dry sand block. Soil lifting at the base of a trunk after a front is worth a look.
The foothills edge
East toward Martin and Orange Grove the forest starts. Jarrah and marri, granite outcrops, larger lots, steeper driveways and genuine bushfire exposure. The City issues an annual firebreak and fuel hazard reduction notice for the bushfire prone parts, and the tree work that flows from it is canopy separation from rooflines, removal of dead standing timber and litter control around structures.
Jarrah is dense and slow, so a reduction lasts a long time but the cut takes longer. Marri drops gumnuts constantly and can carry canker. Both are worth keeping where they can be kept.
The sand plain west
Thornlie, Huntingdale and Southern River are the estate half — 1970s through 2000s housing, planted exotics, lemon-scented gums well past their intended size, and stump work that goes quickly in the sand. Access is generally easy: driveways, standard gates, wide streets.
Access and ground work by area
| Part of the council | Ground | Stump work | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thornlie, Huntingdale, Southern River | Bassendean sand | Fast | Good, wide estate streets |
| Maddington, Gosnells, river flats | Alluvial, often wet | Moderate, can be boggy in winter | Mixed, some large old lots |
| Martin, Orange Grove, scarp edge | Clay over granite | Slow and more expensive | Steep driveways, long runs |
Nearby
Canning Vale on the western boundary, Armadale further south along the scarp, and Kalamunda up in the hills proper. See the service areas page and the cost guide.
Call (08) 9516 2804.
Frequently asked questions
Which council covers Gosnells?
The City of Gosnells, which also takes in Thornlie, Maddington, Huntingdale, Southern River, Canning Vale's eastern edge and the foothills at Martin and Orange Grove. Western Australia has no statewide tree preservation order, so private tree rules are the City's own and are generally light by eastern-states standards.
Do the bushfire rules apply in Gosnells?
In the eastern parts, yes. The foothills suburbs against the Darling Scarp fall within bushfire prone areas and the City issues an annual firebreak and fuel hazard reduction notice. Dead standing timber, canopy separation from the roofline and litter control around structures are the tree-related components. The western flats are a different situation entirely.
What grows along the Canning River?
Flooded gum — Eucalyptus rudis — is the characteristic native along the river and its drainage lines, along with paperbarks in the wetter ground. They grow fast in the damp, root shallow and wide, and they shed limbs readily. Many are on reserve land rather than private property, which puts them with the City.
Does the ground change across the council?
Markedly. West of the river it is sand plain, which grinds and digs easily. Along the river it is alluvial and often wet. East toward Martin and Orange Grove it becomes clay over granite as the scarp begins, and stump work there takes considerably longer and costs more.