Overhanging branches on roads and footpaths

About overhanging trees and plants

Residents and landowners are responsible for any trees and plants that overhang from their private property onto:

• roads
• footpaths
• parks
• walkways.

Why you need to maintain overhanging trees and plants

Overhanging trees and plants can limit movement and visibility, causing a potential hazard to pedestrians and motorists. To keep the community safe, you need to maintain them.

Guidelines for overhanging trees and plants 

You must ensure that tree branches and other plants don't:

• hang over the footpath with less than 2.5m clearance above the ground
• block pedestrian access
• block street lights, traffic signs or traffic lights
• overhang any road at a height less than 4m
• accumulate dropped fruit, berries, leaves, or other material on a footpath so as to cause obstruction or danger to pedestrians.

Penalties for not removing hazards

If we ask you to remove hazards and they are not removed within the set timeframe, you may have to pay the costs of us fixing it and you may receive a fine.

For full details of this local law, download the General Municipal Law from Local Laws.

Want to report overhanging trees and plants in our community?

You can report overhanging trees and plants in three ways.

Phone: 03 9217 2170

Email: info@whittlesea.vic.gov.au

Online: report via the Snap, send and solve app