Be honest about the size
Hand removal is a real option, and it is the right choice for a small stump. It is also the job people most consistently underestimate.
The rough threshold is about 250mm across the base. Under that, on a species without an enormous root plate, you can get it out in a few hours with hand tools. Over that, the anchoring roots become thick enough that cutting them with a bow saw in a hole is genuinely hard work, and the volume of soil to shift grows faster than the diameter does.
Species matters too. A wattle or a small ornamental comes out easily. A fig, a camphor laurel or a eucalypt of the same trunk diameter has a far larger and more determined root plate.
Tools
A round-mouth shovel for moving soil. A mattock or pick, sharpened, which does most of the actual work of both digging and root cutting. A bow saw or an old hand saw you do not mind ruining on grit. Loppers for roots under 40mm. A crowbar or digging bar for leverage. A hose.
Gloves, eye protection and boots. Roots under tension spring when cut.
The method
Cut the stump reasonably low, but not flush. Leave 300 to 400mm standing. That gives you something to lever against and rock, which is how the stump eventually comes free. Cutting it flush first is the most common mistake and it makes the whole job harder.
Dig a trench around it. Start about 300mm out from the trunk and work down, following the roots outward as you find them. The trench needs to be wide enough to swing a mattock in.
Wet the soil as you go. Hosing the trench softens the ground, cuts down dust and makes digging much easier. It also exposes roots more clearly.
Cut roots as you expose them. Small ones with loppers, larger ones with the saw or a sharp mattock. Work around the stump rather than trying to finish one side - the goal is to free it evenly.
Rock the stump periodically. Use the crowbar or push the remaining stem. When it starts to move you are close, and the movement will show you which roots are still holding.
Deal with the taproot last. Many species have a central vertical root that is the final anchor. Reaching it usually means digging directly underneath the stump, which is the least pleasant part of the job.
Lever it out. Once the roots are severed, the stump levers free with the crowbar. It will be heavier than it looks.
Backfill. Fill the hole with soil, not chip, in layers, compacting as you go. It will settle regardless - top it up in a few months.
What makes it harder
Rocky or clay soil. A wide buttressed root flare. Being close to a fence or a wall, where you cannot dig on all sides. And previously being cut flush, which removes your leverage.
When to stop
If you have spent two hours and have not exposed the main roots, the stump is bigger than it looked and the maths has already turned against you. Grinding will take under two hours and leave your back intact.
Ring (07) 5408 6029, or read the comparison of removal methods first.
Frequently asked questions
What size stump can be removed by hand?
Realistically up to about 250mm across the base, on a species without a massive root plate. Beyond that the anchoring roots get too thick to cut comfortably and the volume of soil to be moved becomes unreasonable. A 400mm hardwood stump is a multi-weekend project that most people abandon halfway.
How long does it take?
A 150mm stump in soft soil: two to three hours. A 250mm stump with a decent root plate: most of a day. Anything larger: a weekend or more, and that assumes you keep at it. People consistently underestimate this by a factor of about three.
What tools do I need?
A round-mouth shovel, a mattock or pick, a bow saw or an old hand saw you do not mind blunting, loppers for small roots, a crowbar or digging bar for leverage, and a hose. Gloves and eye protection. A sharpened mattock does most of the actual work.
Is it worth doing by hand to save money?
On a small stump, yes - a couple of hours of effort against a call-out fee. On anything substantial the arithmetic turns quickly. A grinder does in ninety minutes what would take you two days, and the published range for stump grinding on this site is $150 to $400 depending on size.