Living With the Bush

Both are urging residents to be sensible in their clearing of native trees and vegetation. 

The rule change allows clearing of land around houses from between 10 and 30 metres, to help protect residents ahead of the coming fire season.

According to a State Government handout the “temporary exemption” on needing a planning permit to clear trees and vegetation is to “help landowners reduce fuel load around their homes as part of their preparations for the 2009/10 bushfire season”. 

South Gippsland Shire Council mayor Cr Jim Fawcett said the rules were a “really up in the air issue”. 

“I know there are issues about where the 10 metres and 30 metres encroaches on neighbouring land, what rights people have and so on,” Cr Fawcett said. 

“It’s out there but it’s not resolved. It seems to be that the intent is quite clear, but the actual application is not all that clear yet. I’m damn sure it will be. They’re all pretty focused on it, as are we.” 

Cr Fawcett said he was “worried about the extremes” of having residents cut down all their trees. 

“The concern in the community is valid, but the extreme positions people might take might turn out not be all that productive either. I think we have to be careful with that, but recognize that the issue has to be addressed,” he said. 

“We’ve got to give a clear indication to people what their obligations are, and what action they can take without creating issues. It’s a sensitive issue. They’re will be just as many people who will be arguing that unnecessarily cutting down trees is just as bad.

“There’s a lot of emotion and a lot of caution too, I think.” 

Cr Fawcett said on the flip side of the argument to leave trees alone, there was still a “high risk” from vegetation that had not been burnt or cleared. 

“It’s an interesting to note that the report that identified the towns most at risk of bushfire are the towns with vegetation around them – Venus Bay, Sandy Point, those sorts of places,” he said. 

The 10/30 right allows landowners to clear without a planning permit all vegetation, including trees, within 10 metres of their house and all vegetation (except for trees) within 30 metres of their house. 

Residents can also remove all native vegetation either side of their property’s boundary fence to a combined maximum width of four metres without a permit. 

People can only clear native vegetation on their property if they own it. People renting or wanting to clear vegetation on other properties, including public reserves or roadsides, need the written permission of the landowner or relevant public land manager. 

Bass Coast Shire Council’s Planning and Environment Director, Hannah Duncan-Jones, said striking the balance between the fire risk of vegetation and preserving the value of our native environment would be a challenge for some land owners.

“People live in and visit Bass Coast because of our native environment,” said Ms Duncan-Jones.

“One of the outcomes of the community visioning process in which over 1600 people took part was a ‘celebration of natural assets’, meaning our coastline, vegetation and farmland.

“We need to ensure that any vegetation clearing is done in a careful, planned way.” 

Land owners are urged to make sure they fully understand the exemptions before undertaking any clearing work.

Foreshore vegetation is managed to help minimise erosion and protect properties, roads and drainage assets from storm surges and extremely high tides.

Ms Duncan-Jones said that anyone who was unsure what vegetation could be removed under the new exemptions should contact council before going ahead.