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Responsibility for a nature strip garden depends on the local council and, in some places, the road authority. Many councils expect the adjoining resident or property owner to maintain the grass or a garden they have planted, while the council may look after the footpath and street trees. Other councils maintain strips on roads they manage. Check the rules for your address before planting, digging, removing vegetation or changing the surface.
What residents may be expected to maintain
Where a council assigns upkeep to adjoining residents, it commonly means ordinary care of the grass or resident-planted garden. Depending on local rules, that can include mowing, weeding, edging, watering, removing litter and keeping the surface safe and level. These are examples from council guidance, not a universal checklist.
A nature strip is the public-facing strip between a property boundary and the road; some councils call it a verge. A resident’s maintenance obligation does not necessarily mean the resident owns the land. Randwick City Council says the land is typically council-owned even where adjoining residents are expected to maintain it.
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Maintenance duties may be split between the resident and council. Brisbane City Council, for example, says residents maintain the grassy verge while Council maintains the footpath. Port Phillip and Camden exclude street trees from residents’ garden-maintenance responsibilities and assign tree work to Council.
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| Council | Nature strip or garden | Footpath and street trees | Permission or special provision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melton City Council, Victoria | Adjoining resident maintains the strip, including mowing, weeding, litter removal, topping up soil and levelling to avoid trip hazards. | Not stated in the cited guidance. | Not stated in the cited guidance. |
| Brisbane City Council, Queensland | Residents maintain the grassy verge. | Council maintains the footpath; street-tree arrangements are not stated in the cited guidance. | Not stated in the cited guidance. |
| City of Port Phillip, Victoria | Property owners or occupants maintain the nature strip, including mowing, weeding and garden upkeep. | Council cares for street trees; footpath responsibility is not stated in the cited guidance. | Not stated in the cited guidance. |
| Camden Council, New South Wales | Residents care for and maintain gardens they plant. Council says it does not routinely mow nature strips or maintain those gardens. | Council is responsible for planting, removing and maintaining street trees; footpath responsibility is not stated in the cited guidance. | The policy recognises possible exemptions for health or financial reasons; check eligibility and the process with Council. |
| City of Greater Geelong, Victoria | Council is responsible for nature strips on suburban roads it owns or manages. | Council is also responsible for street trees on those roads; footpath details are not stated in the cited guidance. | Residents need City permission to carry out work on strips it manages. |
| Randwick City Council, New South Wales | Adjoining residents maintain their strips. Council may carry out maintenance once if a strip presents a significant public risk, after which the adjoining owner is expected to resume maintenance. | Not stated in the cited guidance. | Randwick describes an authorisation process for nature-strip gardens or planter boxes. |
| City of Clarence, Tasmania | Responsibility depends on whether the property is urban or rural. In urban areas, the adjoining owner handles most work. | Established trees and declared weeds are handled separately by Council; footpath details are not stated in the cited guidance. | Not stated in the cited guidance. |
These are examples of local arrangements, not rules for every property in those council areas. Greater Geelong’s stated responsibility applies to suburban roads it owns or manages, and Clarence distinguishes urban from rural properties. Confirm the arrangement for your specific street.
Check before planting or changing the strip
Being responsible for routine upkeep does not automatically give you permission to redesign the strip. Councils may control planting, digging, planter boxes, surface changes and other work because the area is part of the road reserve or public land. Greater Geelong requires permission for work on strips it manages, and Randwick has an authorisation process for gardens and planter boxes.
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- Find the council or road authority responsible for the property’s street.
- Look for its current nature-strip, verge, road-reserve or street-tree guidance.
- Check separately who maintains the grass or garden, footpath and street trees.
- Ask the authority before planting, digging, removing vegetation or altering the surface, and obtain any required approval.
When a council may help or intervene
Assistance is local and limited. Randwick says it may undertake work once where a strip presents a significant public risk; the adjoining owner is then expected to maintain it. Camden’s policy recognises that health or financial circumstances may support an exemption, but residents need to check eligibility and the application process with Council. Neither example establishes a general right to council maintenance or an exemption elsewhere.
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