Ace of Spades

What Ace of Spades does

Ace of Spades - Tree Relocators Pty Ltd. is a Queensland, Australia-based specialized arboriculture firm founded in late 2005 by Level 3 Arborist Russell Clark. The company provides tree relocation and transplanting services using proprietary mechanized tree spade technology in multiple sizes (up to 62 inches) mounted on John Deere tractors and trucks, supported by 6000psi diesel waterjets, custom steel transport cages, and a prime mover with crane and drop-deck float. Service lines include tree relocation, tree installation, preventative and restorative arborist works (pruning, crown lifting, crown reduction, crown thinning, pollarding), consultancy (phone and site inspections), tree spade equipment rental, and a tree database marketplace described as Australia's largest.

The business serves property developers, residential homeowners, government agencies and local councils, mining and industrial firms, and luxury residential clients across Queensland, with occasional international advisory work in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Customers engage through direct phone, email, or website inquiries followed by consultation and site assessment, with pricing quoted per project based on equipment day rates (1.6m spade at $3,000/day, 2.1m spade at $3,500/day), hourly ancillary services (waterjet at $250/hour), and ancillary personnel, accommodation, and mobilization fees. The company reports 500+ lifetime successful relocations with zero major incidents, maintains an arboretum on its Toowoomba and Withcott land holdings, and operates as a private founder-and-family-owned entity with no external institutional investors.

Name

Ace of Spades

Legal name

Ace of Spades - Tree Relocators Pty Ltd.

Website

https://aceofspades.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ace of Spades is a Queensland-based specialized arboriculture firm that provides mechanized tree relocation, pruning, consultancy, and equipment rental services to government councils, property developers, mining companies, and residential clients using Australia's largest tree spade fleet.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arboriculture and Tree Relocation Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Support Activities for Forestry (115310)

akta.pro primary industry

Tree Care & Arborist Services (BPABADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tree Planting & Transplanting (HSAIADAE), Arborist Consulting, Tree Risk Assessments & Appraisals (HSAIADAJ), Tree Pruning & Crown Management (HSAIADAA)

Keywords

• Tree relocation
• Arboriculture services
• Tree installation
• Tree pruning
• Tree spade rental

Headquarters

HQ city

Withcott

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tree Relocation Services: Core service involving mechanized relocation of trees with specialized equipment, including site assessment, extraction, transport, and installation. Revenue generated through daily equipment rates plus additional services.
2. Consultancy Services: Professional consultation with Russell Clark via phone (30-minute or 1-hour packages) or in-person site inspections at hourly rates.
3. Tree Sales and Database Services: Maintenance of Australia's largest database of privately and government-owned trees available for purchase. Sellers pay a small listing fee; buyers purchase trees directly.
4. Preventative and Restorative Works: Arborist services including pruning, crown maintenance, and hazard reduction for tree health and safety.
5. Equipment Rental: Rental of tree spade equipment and operators to customers who need specialized tree relocation capabilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ace of Spades is a Queensland-based arboriculture company that specialises in mechanised tree relocation, transplanting, and installation of mature trees, particularly Bottle Trees, Grass Trees, and Canary Island Palms. The company also provides arborist consultancy, preventative pruning, restorative tree works, and rents tree spade equipment with operators, operating Australia's largest tree relocation fleet from its Withcott headquarters.

Product overview

Ace of Spades operates as a single unified service business offering tree relocation and arboriculture services across Queensland. The core offerings include four main services: Consultancy (expert advice via Russell Clark's decades of experience), Tree Relocation (specialized transplanting using advanced tree spade technology), Tree Installation (placement of mature trees), and Preventative Works (arborist maintenance including pruning and crown management). Additional services include Restorative Works for tree rehabilitation, Tree Spade Equipment Rental for clients who need machinery, and a Tree Database Marketplace connecting buyers and sellers of trees. The company specializes in native Australian species including Bottle Trees, Grass Trees, and Canary Island Palms, and maintains an arboretum of available trees at their Toowoomba and Withcott properties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tree Relocation Specialized tree relocation and transplanting service that uses advanced mechanised tree spade technology to move mature trees with precision while preserving root systems for long-term survival. Targeted at property developers, councils, mining companies, and homeowners needing to relocate large specimens.
• Tree Installation Professional installation of mature trees on client properties, providing landscape enhancements with expert guidance on species selection and placement. Targeted at residential and commercial clients seeking instant mature landscapes.
• Consultancy Expert consultation led by Russell Clark offering 30-minute or 1-hour phone consultations with optional site inspections, providing personalised advice on tree relocation, arboriculture, and installation projects. Targeted at clients seeking expert opinion before committing to full relocation.
• Preventative Works Arborist maintenance services including professional pruning, crown lifting, crown reduction, crown thinning, and pollarding to ensure tree health and safety. Targeted at councils, commercial property owners, and residential clients.
• Restorative Works Tree restoration services including safe removal of dead or unstable branches and remedial care for damaged or declining trees. Targeted at councils, commercial property owners, and residential clients needing tree rehabilitation.
• Tree Spade Works (Equipment Rental) Rental of specialised tree spade equipment including 1.6m tree spade on John Deere tractor and 2.1m truck-mounted tree spade, with operators available, plus 6000psi waterjet, steel tree cages, and Hitachi excavator. Targeted at contractors, councils, and other arborists needing specialised equipment.
• Tree Database Marketplace Marketplace listing service connecting buyers and sellers of mature trees available for relocation, with sellers paying a small listing fee. Targeted at buyers seeking mature trees and sellers looking to divest existing specimens.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ successful tree relocations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Toowoomba Regional CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing working relationship for bottle tree relocations, new tree installation, and preventative/restorative works within the Toowoomba region. Russell Clark previously worked as Senior Tree Surgeon for Toowoomba City Council from 2002-2005.
• Brisbane City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular consulting and performing bottle tree relocations, new tree installation, and preventative/restorative works within Brisbane region.
• Ipswich City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular consulting and performing bottle tree relocations, new tree installation, and preventative/restorative works within Ipswich region.
• Maranoa Regional CouncilsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing involvement with bottle tree relocations and arboricultural services within the Maranoa region.
• Goondiwindi Regional CouncilsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing involvement with bottle tree relocations and arboricultural services within the Goondiwindi region.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Spotless Property Care: Large Australian facilities and property services group. Tangentially comparable as a contractor providing grounds maintenance and tree management for government and enterprise clients at much larger scale across multiple service lines.
• Arborgreen: Australian supplier of arborist equipment, tree planting products, and tree-care consumables. Comparable as a complementary ecosystem player in the arboriculture value chain; serves as a potential supplier rather than competitor.

Broad incumbents

• SavATree: US-based arborist, lawn care, and tree preservation company serving residential and commercial clients. Comparable in offering arborist assessments, pruning, and tree health services at premium positioning; not focused on mechanised large-tree relocation.
• Davey Tree Expert Company: Large North American tree care and environmental services company with utility vegetation management. Comparable in mechanised tree work and arborist consulting at scale; operates as a broad incumbent rather than a relocation specialist.
• Active Tree Services: ASX-listed Australian arborist and vegetation management company. Comparable as a commercial-scale tree services operator in Australia; differs in being much larger and listed, with utility line-clearing as a primary vertical rather than tree relocation.
• Bartlett Tree Experts: US-headquartered, century-old arborist firm operating across North America. Comparable in scientific arboriculture, tree preservation consulting, and large-fleet mechanised tree care; differs by global scale and corporate ownership versus family business.

Direct peers

• Jim's Trees: Franchised Australian tree care brand under the Jim's Group umbrella, offering pruning, removal, and arborist services nationally. Comparable in core arborist services but operates a franchise model with standardised offerings rather than specialised tree relocation.

Regional players

• The Tree Surgeon Australia: Australian tree surgery and relocation specialist. Comparable in niche tree relocation and arborist consulting, though smaller scale and different regional footprint; competes for similar council and high-end residential customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/aceofspadestree

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ace of Spades