What is a verge?
A verge is a strip of public or crown land that is located between a street kerb and the boundary of an adjoining property.
Who is responsible for the maintenance of the verge?
Up until last year, the Shire was undertaking verge mowing at least once or twice every year. This was a strain on resources which we simply could not sustain, particularly after periods of sustained or frequent rain such as the weather experienced over the 2021 winter.
The Shire encourages residents and businesses to take pride in their streets and community by tending to the verge outside their property. A maintained verge can also assist as an additional firebreak for your property. If each property owner or resident tends to their own verge area when mowing their lawn, it will be of enormous help in keeping grasses and other plants under control and streets looking their best.
My verge has lawn, trees and/or plants on it, who is responsible for the maintenance of the verge?
The property owner or occupier is responsible if the verge has been planted or treated by a previous owner or present. If there is ground treatment such as cracker dust, gravel, wood chip, grass, plants, trees etc that has been installed on the verge in front of a property, the present owner or occupier is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the verge.
Verges must not be hazardous and must be safe for pedestrians to walk along allocated footpaths between the verge and the front boundary of your property, trees need to be trimmed and cleared of power lines.
“An owner or occupier who installs or maintains a permissible verge treatment must keep the permissible verge treatment in a good and tidy condition and ensure that the footpath and carriageway adjoining the verge are not obstructed by the verge treatment. “
Shire of Carnarvon Property and Public Places Local Law 2021 Div 2, 8.5
What ‘verge treatments’ are permitted?
The Shire will not permit the use of verges for landscaping, pebble stone, blue metal, gravel, limestone, broken rock or similar hard metals of a size that can be easily scattered.
Lawns can be planted on the verge without Shire approval.
Owners wishing to plant garden beds, trees, or shrubs on their verge will be required to fill out an application form and provide a sketch of the proposed treatment for approval.
Shire of Carnarvon Property and Public Places Local Law 2021 Div 2, 8.4
I'd like to make a complaint about my verge/neighbour's verge, who do I contact?
Complaints can be sent in through email to shire@carnarvon.wa.gov.au, a Shire officer will process your email and get in contact with you.
You can also visit the Administration Office at 3 Francis St or go to the Contact Us page on the Shire's website and complete the online feedback form.
If public works are carried out on my verge, who is responsible for the cleaning up and returning the verge back to a safe and presentable state?
The local government or an authority empowered to do so:
- Is not liable to compensate any person for that disturbance;
- May backfill with sand, if necessary, any garden or lawn; and
- Is not liable to replace or restore any verge treatment, sprinklers, pipes or other reticulation equipment
Shire of Carnarvon Property and Public Places Local Law 2021 Div 2, 8.7