Nature Strips & Trees
Street trees, garden beds and landscaping are important components of our public spaces, bringing aesthetic, environmental and practical benefits. Council’s parks and gardens staff maintain plantings in median strips, roundabouts and tree bays as well as those in public parks, reserves and playgrounds.
Nature strips
A nature strip is an area of public land between the property boundary and the kerb. The nature strip adjoining your home or business provides an opportunity for greening our public spaces and streetscapes improving the amenity and liveability of our urban environment.
Nature strips often contain essential services and an area for waste collection services. They allow easy pedestrian access to the road and footpath and are important for maintain safe visibility for road users. The community and environmental benefits of nature strips include:
- Rainwater absorption, which improves soil health and reduces stormwater runoff.
- Creating a cooler urban environment in warm months.
- Providing shelter and shade for people and wildlife, especially on hot days.
- Providing green corridors for native wildlife including birds and insects.
- Contributing to the amenity and walkability of the street which benefits residents and businesses.
Nature strips help create a safer, more attractive and healthier environment for people to live and work in.
The adjoining resident is responsible for maintaining the nature strip, including any irrigation system within the nature strip.
Council recognises and encourages the contribution of residents and the important role they play in caring for and maintaining their nature strips adjoining homes or business.
The Urban Nature Strip Policy and supporting Guidelines have been developed to help and support in the creation of you own safe and successful nature strip area These documents can be found below in related information for what you can do.
Trees
Council plants, prunes and maintains all street trees. Residents are encouraged to help support the health of street trees by watering the tree(s) on their nature strips, especially in dry conditions.
Street trees form an important part of the urban landscape providing a range of benefits including shade, biodiversity, amenity and habitat. Council is responsible for street trees and any enquiries regarding the care, establishment, maintenance and removal of street trees must be referred to Council.
Council undertakes a wide range of tree maintenance activities across the municipality and responds to more than 1,500 tree-related enquiries every year. Works carried out by Council include:
- Tree pruning
- Tree removal
- Root control
- Pest and disease management
- Stump removal
- Watering
- Power line clearance
- Staking
- Removal of fallen limbs/branches
To report tree issues, request a street tree or maintenance of trees in parks, playgrounds or on nature strips contact Council on 03 5018 8100 or make an online request