For too long, Boroondara’s magnificent street trees have undergone unnecessary lopping, which has created grotesque shapes and reduced tree canopy.
Image courtesy City of Boroondara Open Space & Trees | Places & Spaces
Now that the importance of tree canopy is recognised as a vital tool in combating climate change, in particular the urban heat island effect, the Victorian State Government is considering changing the regulations to reduce the clearance around low-voltage power lines from 100 cm to 30 cm.
The following images show the difference in canopy that can be achieved with reduced pruning.
Image courtesy City of Boroondara Open Space & Trees | Places & Spaces
The Victorian government has set a target of 30 per cent urban tree canopy cover, a goal adopted by Boroondara Council at its meeting on 10 November 2025. Achieving the target in Boroondara will require the following canopy sub-targets to be achieved: Private land – 27.5%, Council public land – 52.5%, and Other public land – 19%.
However, current powerline pruning regulations make the Council’s public land target significantly harder to achieve.
Advisory committee findings
The Victorian government’s advisory committee supported reducing clearance for low-voltage lines in low bushfire-risk areas from one metre to 30 centimetres. The committee found this would increase canopy cover, cool urban environments and save hundreds of millions of dollars in pruning costs thereby lowering costs to councils and ratepayers.
South Australia adopted the 30-centimetre clearance more than a decade ago without adverse outcomes.
Victorians deserve policies that don’t leave trees disfigured for no real reason, we need change not a ten year trial
Real action delayed
Despite this, Victoria has proposed a 10-year trial rather than implementing the recommendation now. Given the positive South Australian experience a 10-year trial is unwarranted and unnecessary. Given the rapid warming of our urban areas, further delay undermines local climate action and canopy objectives. Boroondara officers estimate that reducing the clearance to 30 cm would increase canopy cover by approximately 20 ha across the local government area.
Other major concerns
Other major concerns with the proposed trial are:
- The lack of any detail of what the trial application process will involve
- The proposed trial mechanism requires the agreement or approval by Energy Safe Victoria (ESV), the Fire Authority, and the relevant distribution business. However, there are no requirements on any of these organisations to consider applications within a specific timeframe, there is no appeal mechanism, and there are no requirements for transparency in their decision making
- ESV has previously not supported the recommendations of the former Electrical Line Clearance Committee to reduce clearance distances, but the proposed legislation makes them the final decision maker on any trial parameters
- The proposed trial mechanism also requires agreement from the Distribution Business, where the trial will be located. This gives private companies the power to veto Council trials.
Call for action now
Residents can support Boroondara Council by participating in the current community consultation at yoursay.boroondara.vic.gov.au/cutting-street-trees-near-power-lines and calling, preferably with a short submission, for the immediate adoption of the 30-centimetre clearance standard.
In this way, residents can easily contribute to enhanced tree canopy and cooler neighbourhoods in Boroondara.
However, the consultation closes at 5 pm on 23 February 2026 so prompt action is necessary.
Submission guide
A sample submission follows but please reword it to make your submission unique. An Age article (3/1/2026) provides further detail and background.
Submission re Electricity Safety (Electric Line Clearance) Regulations
To: The Victorian Government Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA)
From:
Via: https://engage.vic.gov.au/electric-line-clearance-regulations
My background
I am a resident of …
Tree expertise?
I greatly value the shade and cooling effect provided by street trees. I have long deplored the disastrous effect of over-pruning ….
Why I am writing
Thank you for the opportunity to participate in and contribute to this consultation.
Grand children? Future generations? Property value?
I am very concerned about the urban heat island effect, the threat to health from global warming and heatwaves, and the threat to Melbourne’s neighbourhood shade trees from development and inappropriate pruning.
I support the recommendation of the Electric Line Clearance Consultative Committee to reduce powerline clearance from one metre to 30 centimetres for low-voltage lines in low-fire risk areas.
However, I oppose the proposed 10-year trial, believing climate urgency demands the 30-cm clearance regulation is implemented now
The successful precedent set by South Australia over the last decade shows that a 30-cm clearance is achievable and safe.
Reducing the powerline clearance to 30-cm would increase tree canopy across the state and support the achievement of the state government’s target of 30 per cent canopy cover.
Finally, I understand that implementing the 30-cm clearance would save Victorian local governments hundreds of millions of dollars in pruning costs.
My request
I request that the Electric Line Clearance Consultative Committee’s recommendations be accepted, and the 10-year trial is replaced with the immediate commencement of the 30-cm clearance.
Yours sincerely,
References
https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/planforvictoria/measuring-success/actions-and-outcomes/action-12-protect-and-enhance-our-canopy-trees
