Nature strips
A nature strip or roadside verge is the strip of land between your property boundary and the adjacent roadway.
Nature strips form part of the road reserve and may include footpaths, street furniture, trees and vegetation. They add to the neighbourhood character and amenity and provide safe movement alongside streets for pedestrians.
They also provide space for Council and other authorities to house public infrastructure such as water, sewer, gas, electricity, telecommunications and drainage pipes.
Maintaining your nature strip
Residents are responsible for maintaining their nature strip by mowing, edging, weeding and keeping it tidy and litter free. Council does not carry out maintenance of residential nature strips.
You will need permission from Council if you are intending to undertake any works on your nature strip/roadside verge other than basic maintenance. In most cases, this is through an Asset Protection Permit which covers activities such as:
- constructing a new driveway crossover
- excavation works and building construction
- temporary storage of materials.
While most works on nature strips need approval to ensure access is maintained and services are protected, Council supports residents in enhancing their nature strip, provided it is in accordance with the Nature Strip Landscaping Policy (see below for options beyond traditional grass). Note: any street tree planting must be carried out by Council only.
Nature Strip Policy
Residents can choose to have an alternative to a grassed nature strip without the need to apply for a permit, provided it meets the Nature Strip Landscaping Policy
The policy requirements are outlined in the accompanying guidelines(PDF, 574KB) and a suggested plant list(PDF, 645KB) is also available. Residents can also consider Veg on the Verge(PDF, 2MB) as an alternative option.
Council recognises nature strips play an important role in the aesthetics, environmental and social health of the towns and villages within our shire.
This policy also reflects the anticipated impacts of climate change, supporting low-maintenance, climate-appropriate alternatives to the traditional grassed nature strip that complement the shire's natural environment.
Responsibility
In certain locations, Council may elect to undertake minor maintenance and mowing of township nature strips on main roads. This work is undertaken at Council's discretion, and is primarily focused at ensuring the amenity and presentation of our township entrances promotes Macedon Ranges as a nice place to live and visit.
Council will only undertake vegetation works on a resident’s nature strip where there may be a risk to public safety following an inspection of the site. This is to ensure a clear ‘line of sight’ between pedestrians, vehicles and other road users at driveways, road curves and intersections or if it is considered a fire hazard.
The only exception to this is where a Council maintenance team or road crew have accidentally damaged a nature strip. Council will be responsible to return to site and repair the damage and reinstate to previous condition. However if the damage sustained is from a third party, Council is not responsible for undertaking the repairs.
Report an issue
If there is an issue with a nature strip such as holes, trees requiring inspection or the need for utility service works, you can report an issue online or call (03) 5422 0333.