Nature strips

Nature Strips are a valuable asset along council’s road network. They provide a corridor for various overhead and underground services, enriched visual amenity, space for water sensitive urban design features, street trees, footpaths and other public amenities.

Clarence has a wide variety of Nature Strips where landscaping is unique and creative. We are generally supportive of altered landscaping and you can view the Nature Strip Guidelines to learn more about how these areas can be maintained.

It’s your responsibility to maintain nature strips outside your property (other than trees).

We will maintain trees on nature strips and remove any declared weeds. If you have any concerns with a tree or weed on your nature strip you can contact us and we will assess the issue.

If you’re experiencing difficulty maintaining your nature strip, there are a few options available to you – more detail below.

To find out more call 03 6217 9500 or read the Nature Strip Guidelines (PDF).

Driveways

Access to driveways over kerbs and gutters, footpaths and nature strips is the responsibility of the property owner, from the edge of the roadway bitumen to the property boundary. If properties share a driveway they share joint responsibility for the driveway.

A crossover is where your driveway crosses over land, such as footpaths, kerbs and drains. It is our policy to limit the number crossovers to one per dwelling. A second crossover may be considered in some circumstances but may subject to the planning application.

Minor work

If you want to do any minor works on your nature strip or driveways, you need our approval. All private work on nature strips requires you (the property owner) to complete sections of application to undertake works in or affecting a highway form.

Once you have submitted this form, it will be approved by a council officer, who will then issue a permit.