Land Clearing in Tecoma

Land Clearing in Tecoma: Local Conditions

Full clearing jobs in Tecoma are less frequent than in the larger-block suburbs to the south and east, but they arise in specific circumstances: vacant blocks that have been left unmanaged for multiple growing seasons and are now blackberry and pittosporum thicket; subdivision permit conditions that require establishing a cleared building envelope; and bushfire preparation work where BMO-compliant defendable space has accumulated years of growth. The planning complexity here is significant. The Bushfire Management Overlay covers much of the elevated area of Tecoma, and the Environmental Significance Overlay applies to sections with remnant native vegetation. The 10/50 rule provides an exemption for clearing within 10 m of a dwelling without a permit inside the Bushfire Management Overlay, but any significant native vegetation clearing beyond that threshold requires a planning assessment under the Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme. We verify overlay status before committing to a clearing scope, because starting work that requires a permit creates a compliance issue that can be difficult and expensive to resolve. Machinery access on steep Tecoma blocks is limited to compact excavators or tracked skid steers on most rear sections; full-sized equipment can typically access only the driveway and front third of a property. Post-clearing, the disturbed soil on a foothills block in a high-rainfall area will see rapid weed germination, particularly pittosporum and blackberry, within one growing season, and an immediate weed-suppression treatment before autumn rains is strongly recommended to prevent the site reverting.

Working in Tecoma