Fencing

Safe Removal of Hazardous Trees Payment

The Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund has made available a payment of up to $4,000 per residential property to assist with the assessment and safe removal of hazardous trees affected by the 2009 bushfires.

Click here for further information

Fencing

Following the 2009 fires the Victorian Government will reimburse reasonable insurance excess to a maximum of four-hundred dollars ($400) on all insured Crown land boundary fences destroyed or damaged by bushfires (or fire suppression backburn) regardless of the tenure of the land where that fire originates. If you have a 'no excess' policy you will also be eligible for reimbursement.

The Victorian Government will also repair or pay 100 per cent of the restoration cost of fences damaged on private land as a result of machinery used in control of bushfires (including damage to fences for emergency vehicles access).

The Government will fully fund the rehabilitation of fire control lines established by Department of Sustainability and Environment or Country Fire Authority as part of incident management during bushfire suppression activity regardless of the origin of the bushfire (public/Crown or private land).

The Government will also repair or replace Crown land boundary fences burnt by fire agencies undertaking backburning during an emergency.

Contact the Department of Primary Industries in 136 186.

Refencing properties after bushfires

WorkSafe Victoria provides advice for handling hazards that you may encounter when searching through or cleaning-up fire affected areas.

For further information on refencing please download the PDF:

Fire-_fencing_fact_sheet.pdf

Landowner duty to manage risks

Boundary fences under the Fences Act (1968) are considered assets of the landholder and should be insured accordingly.

The policy of the Victorian Government on fixing fences following a bushfire is in line with the recommendations of the Emergency Services Commissioner’s Victorian Bushfire Inquiry Report of 2003.

By reimbursing insurance excess costs, this policy reconfirms the principle that landowners should appropriately manage risks to their assets from the impacts of fire by encouraging them to maintain insurance.

For more information call the Department of Primary Industries on 136 186.