Landowner obligations
If we find vegetation that needs to be cleared on your property, we’ll leave a notice in your letterbox or knock on your door to discuss.
You’re responsible for clearing vegetation (trees, branches and shrubs):
- on your property to keep your service cable clear. The service cable is the cable that runs from the power pole on the street to the front of your property
- on your property to keep ANY private overhead electric line (POEL) clear
- if the vegetation planted on your property and has fallen over – for example, a tree branch that falls from a tree planted on your property and lands on the nature strip or in a neighbouring property.
Our obligations
We are responsible for clearing vegetation (trees, branches and shrubs) on:
- private property when we’re keeping an AusNet owned main powerline clear
- private property to keep a neighbours service cable clear, if this cable spans across your property. The service cable runs from the power pole on the street to the front of a property.
- on public land where local government is not responsible for maintaining the vegetation.
We do this in collaboration with our trusted delivery partners, ETS Infrastructure Management and Active Trees Services.
We’ll give you at least 14 days’ notice before we start clearing vegetation, giving you an opportunity to discuss this work with us. However, if emergency pruning or clearing works are necessary, state legislation allows us to enter private property without notice to inspect powerlines and carry out work to ensure public safety.
Local government (council or shire) obligations
Your local Council or Shire is responsible for clearing vegetation (trees, branches and shrubs) on some public areas, like nature strips at the front of properties, parks or along the roadside. We’ll also support the local Council or Shire when required.