Nature strips

Nature strip uses that are allowed and do not require approval:

• groundcovers, native grasses and shrubs up to 50cm in height (or 20cm in a Bushfire Prone Area) to help maintain line of sight
• compacted gravel on up to 50% of the nature strip (but not within the drip line of trees), with the remainder being low level shrubs or grass (this allows for water filtration and has a cooling effect)
• organic mulch materials (e.g. pine bark, pine chip and flake, chipper waste)
• temporary protective fencing for new grass/shrubs up to 13 weeks
• garden edging of stone, brick and timber up 15cm high.

Nature strip uses that require approval:

• irrigation systems, synthetic turf or bollards to prevent parking on the nature strip
• temporary storage of landscape material for longer than 2 weeks
• second driveway.

Nature strip uses that are unlikely to be approved:

• ponds, water fountains, permanent fencing, retaining walls, letterboxes, shipping containers, chicken runs, play equipment, boulders, pavers/concrete paths, new trees
• parking a vehicle (including cars, trailers and caravans) on the nature strip is prohibited.

Please note that applications must include a detailed site plan (to scale) of the proposed change. The site plan should include existing assets such as driveways and street trees and a legend of proposed materials to be used.

Apply for approval

To apply to change a nature strip, or place objects such as a skip or bin on a nature strip please complete the relevant application form:

• Nature strip development application form

To apply to change or modify a nature strip, please complete the relevant application form. Applications can only be accepted in electronic format and take 15 working days to assess. If you have difficulty with the form please contact 6207 0019.

• Application to place a skip/bin on public unleased land (PDF 341.7 KB) (DOC 1.0 MB)
  
  To apply to place an object such as a skip bin on a nature strip, please complete the relevant application form. Applications should be completed and sent to tccs.commlanduse@act.gov.au for processing. If you have difficulty with the form please contact 6205 9850.

Street trees

Street trees on the nature strip are maintained by the ACT Government. Residents are not permitted to plant, trim, prune or remove a street tree. For these requests, please contact Access Canberra on 13 22 81 or log an enquiry through Fix My Street.

Service impacts

Nature strips usually contain essential services such as:

• sewerage
• stormwater pipes
• telephone lines
• power
• gas.

Unapproved works or alterations to the nature strip may limit access or cause damage to these services. All costs for damage repairs will be at the expense of the resident or lessee. Changes such as tree plantings or landscaping require consultation and approval.

Maintenance

Maintenance of nature strips, including rain gardens, is undertaken by the resident or lessee of the adjoining leased land. This includes residential properties, single unit dwellings, body corporates and commercial premises.

If regular maintenance is not possible due to health reasons, organisations such as a Home Help Services ACT may be able to help. Call Access Canberra on 13 22 81 for more information.

Rain gardens

A rain garden is a bio-retention basin installed on an urban street. It is a water sensitive urban design measure to improve water quality downstream. The rain garden helps to filter storm water before it enters larger basins such as lakes and ponds. Rain gardens rely on bio-filtration processes to reduce stormwater pollutants.

Well-maintained rain gardens

Look after your rain garden and make sure it is working well by:

• hand pulling weeds without use of chemicals,
• clearing debris such as litter, grass clippings and organic materials.

This will allow stormwater to be filtered as it passes through the soil profile.

The photos below show well-maintained rain gardens. Rain gardens should have good vegetation, and both weeds and leaf litter removed.

Poorly maintained rained gardens

The photos below show poorly maintained rain gardens overrun by weeds and leaf litter.

Lawn clippings in the garden have resulted in a decline in native vegetation and the introduction of weeds. Lawn clippings also slow the rate at which water passes through the soil.