Greycliffe House. Credit Kevin McGrath DPIE

Greycliffe House. Credit: Kevin McGrath DPIE

13. Vegetation

Vegetation

This exemption is for vegetation and landscape maintenance-based tasks.

Examples of typical activities/works include:

  • weeding
  • mowing and pruning
  • planting including seasonal rotation of species
  • mulching.

Standard Exemption 13. Vegetation

General conditions  apply to the use of all Standard Exemptions and must be complied with. 

The following specified activities/works to an item do not require approval under subsection 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977 if the specified activities/works are undertaken in accordance with each of the relevant standards prescribed below.

Specified activities/works:

  1. Weeding (including poisoning of weeds), watering, mowing, manual clearing of paths and drains, top-dressing, pest control and fertilising.
  2. New planting of species sympathetic to the item.
  3. Pruning to control size, improve shape, condition, flowering or fruiting.
  4. Removal of non-significant diseased, dying, dead and/or dangerous trees and/or plant material.
  5. Tree surgery.

 Relevant standards:

  1. Activities/works must not alter the significant layout, contours, plant species or other significant landscape features or views.
  2. Pruning of significant vegetation must not exceed 30% of the tree canopy within a period of two years.
  3. Tree surgery may only be performed by a qualified arborist, horticulturist or tree surgeon and must be necessary for the health of those plants.
  4. Selective herbicide should be used when poisoning weeds. Herbicide should be applied using:
    1. spot application around significant elements of the heritage item (e.g. ornamental or symbolic plants, remnant native vegetation, structures, exposed relics and moveable items) to avoid adverse impacts to these; and
    2. spraying in non-significant areas of the curtilage.
  5. Removal of diseased, dead, dying or dangerous trees and/or plant material must not disturb archaeological relics (for example through stump grinding or removal of tree boles, in such situations stumps and tree boles should be left in place).

Guidance