Roadsides

Council, Regional Roads Victoria and residents all have a role to play in maintaining and protecting our roadsides.

Regional Roads Victoria is responsible for roadsides along freeways and major roads between townships. Council manages all other local roadsides in the shire.

To find out if a road is managed by RRV or Council, you can view the below:

• Road repairs and maintenance
• Roadside weed management responsibility
• Regional Roads Website

With limited resources, we need to strike the right balance between making our roads safe for drivers, preventing fires from starting on our roadsides, and protecting our natural environment. We also need to comply with native vegetation regulations.

Council slashes high use roadsides to reduce the likelihood of fires starting from hot vehicle exhausts, mechanical failures and collisions.

More information: Roadside slashing

The vegetation found on our rural roadsides is special. It is often the only remaining native vegetation in the landscape and provides critical habitat for threatened flora and fauna.

This vegetation faces ongoing threats including weed invasion, grazing pressure, unapproved vegetation clearance and roadworks.

With good management, the integrity and quality of the shire’s high and medium valued roadsides can be enhanced. The Roadside Conservation Management Plan seeks to protect the important ecological values whilst ensuring appropriate fire risk mitigation and maintenance of road safety.

Roadsides are crucial habitats for native animals and plants, providing vital connectivity across the landscape as wildlife corridors. In the Macedon Ranges, these reserves play a key role in protecting native vegetation, providing food, shelter, and protection from predators. Many of these plant and animal species are protected by state and federal laws, emphasising the need for their conservation.

Despite their importance, roadside vegetation face threats from vegetation clearance, weed invasion, and roadworks. Without proper management, the integrity and quality of these valuable areas are at risk. To combat this, all council-managed roadsides are mapped to assess their conservation value, ranging from low to very high.

In line with the Council’s Roadside Conservation Management Plan 2021, yellow guide posts will be installed along roads with high and very high conservation value. These yellow guide posts will help identify significant native vegetation areas, aiding efforts to protect and enhance local biodiversity.

Before carrying out any works—such as mowing, clean-up, planting, or weed control—you must confirm with Council.

Native vegetation includes trees, shrubs, grasses, and ground plants that grow naturally in the area. These may be protected by planning controls, including landscape, environmental, vegetation protection, or heritage overlays.

Always check with Council before removing or disturbing native vegetation.

If you're unsure whether your planned works require a permit, contact us on (03) 5422 0333 or complete the expression of interest form below with a description of the proposed activity.

Expression of interest form

Note:
Nature strips are only found in townships. All other areas are considered rural roadsides or roadside reserves.

You may need a permit if your activity:

• Impacts Council land, fencing, or infrastructure, and/or
• Involves removing timber, firewood, or vegetation (including grasses, shrubs, trees, dead wood, or fallen limbs), or includes weed control

For more information, visit native vegetation.

Roadside Assessment and Permit Requirements

Council Officers will assess the roadside and identify any land management considerations, such as:

The presence of native vegetation, noxious weeds, infrastructure or safety concerns.

If a permit is required, you will be notified following the assessment.

If you wish to undertake works on grassed or landscaped nature strips, see Nature Strips

If you become aware of any issues or hazards on roadsides, you can report an issue online, call Council on (03) 5422 0333, or contact VicRoads.