A man brandishing a butcher's knife who climbed into a tree in Northcote came down after a 10-hour stand-off with police on Monday afternoon.

Police were called to All Nations Park, off Separation Street, about 1pm after park visitors reported a man with a knife.

The 47-year-old Preston man climbed the tree after police arrived.

Heavily armed officers surrounded the man and negotiators tried to convince him to come down.

He voluntarily returned to earth about 11.20pm and police took him to hospital for assessment, a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.

"There was no incident and he came down without injury," the spokeswoman said.