A man died after falling from a macrocarpa tree, similar to these ones.

An accident during a routine gardening job on the West Coast has resulted in a man's death, just three weeks after he arrived in the country.

The 67-year-old man, who lived in Brisbane, was trimming a macrocarpa tree on a property he owned on Woodstock-Rimu Rd, near Hokitika, when he fell to his death.

He was about 5 metres in the air and standing on a branch when it collapsed beneath him, sending him plummeting to the ground about 3.45pm on Sunday.

"One of the branches he was cutting away came down, and appears to have hit the branch he was standing on, causing it to break and him to fall," Sergeant Phil Ealam said.

The man suffered critical injuries and died at the scene.

His nephew was nearby at the time, but not in the immediate vicinity, Ealam said.

The man's name would not be released until his next of kin were advised.