Fencing in Yarra Glen

The township's streets

Yarra Glen's houses take up only about 3% of the locality, and the landscape overlay over them is SLO23, which has no fence provision. In town, then, the building rules decide most fences. A fence up to 2 m needs no building permit, except within 3 m of the street, where the limit is 1.5 m (1.2 m in brick or concrete). Yarra Ranges' zones set no front-fence height of their own.

The residential streets are also all in a Design and Development Overlay. Some of Yarra Ranges' design overlays carry front-fence guidelines, so check its number on your report and ask the council if you are planning a new front fence.

VicPlan's property report lists both overlays.

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.

The Grand Hotel and Gulf Station

Yarra Glen has ten heritage places on the planning map. Two are well known: the Grand Hotel of 1888, National Trust-listed, and Gulf Station on the Melba Highway, on the Victorian Heritage Register. In a Heritage Overlay a fence that can be seen from a street or a public park needs a planning permit.

Checked 25 October 2026 against Wikipedia: Yarra Glen, Victoria, 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).

Paddocks and vineyards

The Ryrie brothers planted the valley's first vines here in 1838, and around five sixths of Yarra Glen is still green wedge farmland. Most of it is under SLO2, the rest SLO6. Under both, a fence needs a planning permit unless it is rural post and open-weave wire under 1.8 m. Part of the farmland is also under ESO1, whose fence wording is ambiguous; if your report shows it, ask Yarra Ranges' planning team. About a tenth of the locality is under the flood overlay, mostly on the farmland, and there a fence needs a planning permit. Farm fencing covers the farm standard between neighbours.

Checked 25 October 2026 against Wikipedia: Yarra Glen, Victoria, 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).

After two big fires

The 1939 Black Friday fires and the 2009 fires both badly damaged the area. Where land is in a Bushfire Prone Area, vegetation along a boundary fence built before 10 September 2009 can be cleared 4 m wide, both sides together, without a planning permit. A fence built later doesn't qualify. Clearing a fence line has the conditions.

Checked 25 October 2026 against Wikipedia: Yarra Glen, Victoria, Victoria Planning Provisions, Clause 52.12 (bushfire protection exemptions) and DELWP: vegetation exemptions for bushfire protection (fact sheet).

Up and down the valley

Steels Creek and Dixons Creek

Mostly SLO6 farm and bush, with no residential zone.

Yering and Coldstream

SLO2 flats; Coldstream's township is mostly SLO22, with its front-fence rule.

Checked 25 October 2026 against Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedules to Clause 42.03 (SLO1–6, SLO22, SLO23).