Works in the nature strip outside these guidelines and our Neighbourhood Amenity Local Laws 2024 may incur penalty notices.
The Victorian State Road Rules do not allow vehicles to park on a nature strip in urban areas. This is to protect underground services from being damaged. Adding gravel to a nature strip does not make it suitable or legal for vehicles to park.
Before you dig
Our nature strip gardens often contain services above and below ground, such as electricity, water, sewer and telecommunications cables. You should request a Before you Dig report before you break ground.
Ground cover plants
If your nature strip is suitable for planting,
we encourage you to select species that support local ecology, biodiversity and
are for local climatic conditions.
We suggest selecting plants from:
Surface landscaping
While nature strip surfaces must be kept level (where possible),
you will need to consider the type of surface treatments you will apply to your
nature strip. For a standard nature strip, this is traditionally grass.
However, nature strip gardens may need other treatments, such as
mulches, to help
support plant growth. Please refer to page 23 of our guidelines.
If you live in a new subdivision, remember to check with the developer that gravel nature strips are
allowed in the development. Some developments have conditions in the
contract of sale limiting works in the nature strip.
Service authority works
From time to time service authorities need to dig up the nature strip to work on their infrastructure.
When this occurs, they are required to replace damaged footpaths and driveways and re-level the nature strip with loam and grass seed.
Residents with alternative nature strips will be required to reinstate the surface for themselves.
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