Trees near power lines in Bendigo: what you clear and what Powercor clears

Published 23 October 2026

Who clears trees near power lines?

Victoria's Electricity Safety Act splits the job by which line the tree is near and whose land it grows on. Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) and Powercor, the distributor for Greater Bendigo, explain it the same way:

Your tree, your own service line

ESV: "For a tree growing on your property, you are responsible for clearing that tree around the service line that connects to your house." The service line is the single wire from the pole in the street to your house.

Your tree, the street lines or the neighbour's service line

That's Powercor's job. ESV says the distributor clears "any service line connecting to a neighbouring property" and lines outside your boundary, and Powercor says it maintains trees "growing on private property which branch out near the main wires". Powercor trims to its clearance rules plus two years' growth, and "There's no cost to you."

Street and park trees

On public land in an area declared under the Act, which in Greater Bendigo is the urban declared area, the council clears its own trees from the lines. Elsewhere it's Powercor. If you're not sure who looks after a nature strip tree, ask the City of Greater Bendigo or Powercor.

Private poles and lines on rural blocks

Some rural properties have their own poles carrying the line on to the house or sheds. That's a private electric line, and the occupier is responsible for maintaining it, including keeping trees clear. Powercor says you "need to check the line annually", and only a Registered Electrical Contractor can work on the line itself.

How far trees must be kept from power lines

ESV's advice for homeowners: prune "before trees and shrubs grow to within one metre in any direction of insulated service lines". For a bare-wire private line, ESV's guide says 2 metres.

The legal minimum is smaller. The Code of Practice for Electric Line Clearance sets a clearance space of 300 millimetres around an insulated line on a span of up to 40 metres, which covers most house service lines. For bare low-voltage lines it's 1,000 mm in low bushfire risk areas and 1,500 mm in hazardous bushfire risk areas on spans up to 45 metres. Pruning at 1 metre leaves room for growth before the tree reaches the legal limit, and ESV can issue infringement notices to people who don't keep their trees clear.

What you can and can't cut yourself

In October 2021 a Bendigo resident was taken to hospital with burns after cutting through a low-voltage service cable with secateurs while clearing a tree. ESV's report found the tree was affecting the neighbour's service cable, so clearing it was the distributor's responsibility, and that the resident hadn't kept the minimum distances in the regulations.

Those distances are in the Electricity Safety (General) Regulations. Anyone who isn't a qualified line clearance worker must not:

• prune vegetation within 300 mm of an insulated low-voltage line, or 100 mm if it's directly below the line
• prune within 1,000 mm below, or 3,000 mm in any other direction, of a bare low-voltage line
• cut anything that may fall within 2 metres of a low-voltage line, unless it's an insulated line and the piece won't touch it

Each carries a penalty of up to 20 penalty units. ESV goes further: "Never cut trees near powerlines yourself—always hire a trained and experienced expert in vegetation management." Powercor says growth outside its Tree No Go Zone can be cut by you or a contractor, but "Only workers authorised by CitiPower and Powercor can trim trees within the No Go Zone." Powercor doesn't publish that zone's distance; ESV's general No Go Zone for overhead distribution lines is 3 metres, with a registered spotter needed from 3 to 6.4 metres.

Cutting inside the No Go Zone is done by Powercor or workers it authorises, not by us. Our work is the rest of the tree, outside that zone: pruning it back, or removing it once the part near the line has been dealt with.

Getting Powercor to clear a tree or isolate the power

• Report a tree close to the lines: Powercor says it will inspect within 21 days and trim the tree if it doesn't meet its obligations. Enquiries go through its myEnergy portal, or call 13 22 06.
• Cutting you need inside the No Go Zone: use Powercor's Tree No Go Zone cutting request form, with the number of the nearest pole. Powercor inspects and sends a quote within 15 business days; where the cutting is beyond the clearance Powercor must maintain, it's at your cost.
• Notice: Powercor leaves a printed notice 14 to 60 days before routine trimming in your area, except where urgent pruning is needed.
• Permits: Powercor says "It is your responsibility to apply for the relevant council permits before CitiPower and Powercor commence work." See our permits guide, including the canopy tree rule for large trees in residential zones.

Powercor supply isolation fees, 2026–27

Powercor's 2026–27 price list, approved by the Australian Energy Regulator for 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, checked 23 October 2026. Prices exclude GST. The isolation charge covers a temporary isolation so a customer's contractor can work near the assets, including "service line isolations in association with No Go Zone applications". Powercor also lists No Go Zone safety services as quoted work, so ask Powercor which applies to your job.

A tree or branch on the lines

Keep at least 8–10 metres away from any fallen line, call 000 if anyone is in danger, and report it to Powercor on 13 24 12. Powercor: "Never attempt to clear branches that have fallen onto a powerline."

Even trees that meet the rules can bring lines down in a storm. In January 2020 a tree brought down power lines during a wind change at Huntly and started a grass fire that burnt about 140 hectares; ESV and the CFA found the trees were within the clearance requirements.

Planting near power lines

Powercor's planting guide says to plant nothing taller than 3 metres within 7 metres of a powerline, not to plant climbers at the base of poles, and to keep roots away from underground pits. By that rule, a gum that will grow well past 3 metres belongs more than 7 metres from the line.

Questions about trees near power lines