The 10/50 Scheme gives people living near bush an additional way to prepare for bushfires.

The scheme allows people in a designated area to:

• Clear trees on their property within 10 metres of a home, without seeking approval; and
• Clear underlying vegetation such as shrubs (but not trees) on their property within 50 metres of a home, without seeking approval.

 

Image: RFS

Is Your House in a 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Area?

It is the responsibility of the property owner to check if their property is located within a 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Entitlement Area, whether the entitlement applies and whether there are any other restrictions that may apply. This information can be found on the RFS 10/50 Vegetation Clearing page. If a 10/50 entitlement applies and there are no other restrictions, additional approvals from Council or Local Land Services are not required to undertake the clearing.

Other Restrictions

A property owner may not clear trees or other vegetation under the 10/50 Code contrary to conditions set out in a Development Consent or other approvals under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. For example, if a Development Consent requires you to retain specified trees or vegetation they cannot be cleared under the 10/50 clearing scheme, even if a 10/50 entitlement applies to the property.

Clearing under the 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Scheme must comply with the guidelines set out in the RFS 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Code of Practice.

Any clearing outside of the RFS 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Code of Practice, and not subject to another exemption, is considered to be unauthorised and may result in penalties.

 

Further Information

Further information can be found on the RFS 10/50 Vegetation Clearing page.