Fencing in Healesville

The front fence on a town block

Healesville's locality is big, 142 km², and most of it is water catchment and farmland. The houses are a small part of it, and nearly all of them sit under SLO22, the township landscape overlay. It needs a planning permit for a front fence unless the fence is under 1.2 m or more than 75% see-through.

The General Residential streets are the exception. They are under SLO23, which has no fence rule, and DDO8, whose guidance is for front fences under 1.2 m and at least 75% see-through. Guidance shapes an application; it is not a permit trigger on its own.

The building rules apply as well. Yarra Ranges' zones set no front-fence height, so within 3 m of the street a fence over 1.5 m (1.2 m if it is brick or concrete) needs a building permit. A free VicPlan report shows which overlays your block has.

Checked 25 October 2026 against Vicmap Planning, the state's zone and overlay maps (DataVic), measured across the suburb, Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedules to Clause 42.03 (SLO1–6, SLO22, SLO23), Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedules to Clause 43.02 (DDOs) and Building Regulations 2018 (Vic), authorised version 031.

Old buildings and heritage places

The town grew from a settlement on the Watts River in the 1860s, when traffic to the goldfields passed through, and its tourist era gave it the Grand Hotel (1888). About twenty heritage places on Yarra Ranges' schedule fall in the locality. Where the Heritage Overlay applies, a fence visible from a street or a public park needs a permit. The council's schedule also has a column for fences against each place, so read your place's row.

Checked 25 October 2026 against Wikipedia: Healesville, Vicmap Planning, the state's zone and overlay maps (DataVic), measured across the suburb, Victoria Planning Provisions, Clause 43.01 (Heritage Overlay) and Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedule to Clause 43.01 (heritage places).

Farms and bush around the town

On the farmland, SLO6 and SLO2 don't require a permit for a rural post and open-weave wire fence under 1.8 m. Toward Don Valley the overlay is SLO4, which is stricter: any fence needs a permit unless it is under 1.8 m and more than 75% see-through. About three quarters of the locality also carries ESO1, whose fence wording can be read more than one way, so ask Yarra Ranges planning if your report shows it. The flood overlay covers about a tenth of the locality, nearly all of it farmland; a fence on that land needs a planning permit. Farm fencing has the farm standard between neighbours.

Checked 25 October 2026 against Wikipedia: Healesville, Vicmap Planning, the state's zone and overlay maps (DataVic), measured across the suburb, Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedules to Clause 42.03 (SLO1–6, SLO22, SLO23), Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedules to Clause 42.01 (ESO1, ESO2) and Victoria Planning Provisions, Clause 44.04 (Land Subject to Inundation Overlay).

Clearing along the fence

Almost every house block in Healesville is under the Bushfire Management Overlay. Beside a boundary fence built before 10 September 2009, vegetation can be cleared to 4 m wide, both sides together, without a planning permit. Clearing a fence line sets out the conditions.

Checked 25 October 2026 against Vicmap Planning, the state's zone and overlay maps (DataVic), measured across the suburb and Victoria Planning Provisions, Clause 52.12 (bushfire protection exemptions).

Leaving Healesville

Badger Creek, Chum Creek and Gruyere

No town streets, mostly SLO6 and its post-and-wire rule.

Tarrawarra and Coldstream

Open valley farmland, with the flood overlay on the low ground.

Woori Yallock

Another SLO22 township, with the same front-fence rule.

Checked 25 October 2026 against Vicmap Planning, the state's zone and overlay maps (DataVic), measured across the suburb and Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedules to Clause 42.03 (SLO1–6, SLO22, SLO23).