When Steve Purser was offered a position with Active in Darwin four years ago it wasn’t just about the opportunity of a new job but the chance of a whole new adventure for his family.

When senior jarraff operator Ray Hunt started in the tree industry 15 years ago, he was following in his father’s footsteps. Now they share Active Tree Services as a workplace in the hot and humid conditions of the Northern Territory, working in separate regions but enjoying the occasional job together.

Forget the swings and slides, if there was a big tree in the playground, likelihood was you’d find a young Shannon Versluis scaling it.

The heady environment of a restaurant kitchen and tree trimming in the great outdoors are light years apart, but for Active Tess Services’ supervisor Alex Segrott it’s been a life change that’s rewarded him in a host of unexpected ways.

The industry might be tree management, but supervisor Chris Hatcliff notes his role is often about removing more than just tree limbs. It’s about dealing with any “roadblocks” that might affect his crew of up to 15 who work around power lines as part of the AusNet Power Network contract in Victoria. It’s also about removing any confusion and concerns when it comes to dealing with the public.

When field worker Ewan Marshall requested Active supply him an iPad back in 2011, he knew this nifty piece of technology had the potential to change his day-to-day operations in tree management. Little did he know it would also change his career path within the company.

Working as a vegetation inspector may seem a far cry from Immigration and Detention, but occasionally, just occasionally the skills overlap, notes Active employee Kevin Mosbey.

Like many working at Active Tree Services, Rebecca Sara’s role has allowed her to scale new heights, but it’s in a support role rather than on the front line of tree management.

After almost 10 years in total with Active Tree Services Arron Kincaid admits he still gets a rush from the job. “Where else do you get to drive trucks, handle chainsaws and work around live power lines, and they pay you for it?” he asks. In fact Arron likes the environment and company ethos so much he has worked for Active on two occasions.