Tree Falls on Your Power Pole in Sydney? Here's What to Do

Has a tree come down on your power pole in Sydney? Treat every wire as live, keep everyone at least 8 metres away, and call your distributor first: Ausgrid on 13 13 88 or Endeavour Energy on 131 003, or 000 if there is fire or anyone is hurt. The network crew makes the site safe. If the damaged pole is a private one on your property, a Level 2 electrician then repairs or replaces it and gets your power back on.

⚡ Quick Answers: tree on your power pole

• Who do I call first? Your distributor. Ausgrid 13 13 88 or Endeavour Energy 131 003, both 24 hours. Call 000 first if there is fire, sparking or an injury.
• How far away should I stay? At least 8 metres from fallen wires and from any tree touching them. A tree in contact with a live wire can be live itself.
• Is the power definitely off if my lights are out? No. Never assume a downed wire is dead, even when the house has lost supply.
• Who fixes the pole? The distributor repairs its own street poles. A private pole inside your boundary is yours, and repairing it is Level 2 ASP work.
• Will insurance cover it? Storm damage to a private pole is usually covered by home insurance, but insurers look hard at the pole's condition before the storm.

1. The first 60 seconds: stay clear

The dangers are live conductors on the ground, fire if cables arc against vegetation, and the instability of the damaged tree and pole. Stay inside if the building is safe, keep children and pets in, and do not go out to investigate. Electricity can spread through damp ground around a downed wire, so distance is your protection.

Call 000 immediately if there is fire, sparking, or a person or animal has contacted the wires.

2. Report it to your distributor

Once everyone is clear, call Ausgrid on 13 13 88 or Endeavour Energy on 131 003. Be specific: has the tree hit the pole itself, pulled the service line off the house, or brought wires down? Crews are prioritised by hazard, so an accurate report gets a faster response. We keep a list of the emergency numbers every Sydney homeowner should save, and if you are not sure which network covers your street you can check your network area in seconds with our postcode checker.

3. Public pole or private pole? It changes everything

If the tree hit a street pole, the distributor owns the problem and the repair costs. Your job ends at reporting it and keeping people away.

If the pole stands inside your boundary, it is a private pole and the repair is yours, even when the tree that hit it belonged to a neighbour or the council. The distributor will make the site safe, usually by isolating your supply, but they will not fix the pole. That is work for a Level 2 Accredited Service Provider. Our private power pole guide explains the ownership split, and who you are allowed to call for a damaged service line covers the wires themselves.

4. What happens after the site is made safe

With the supply isolated, a Level 2 electrician assesses the pole, service line, point of attachment and metering, and tells you whether the pole can be repaired or must be replaced. We provide a written fixed price quote, lodge the reconnection application with the distributor, complete the work to AS/NZS 3000 and issue the compliance certificate.

Where the tree has also damaged the meter box or the attachment point on the house, we scope everything in one visit so you deal with one contractor and one certificate. Our emergency make safe service and storm damage repairs run 24/7 across Sydney, and our timeline guide covers how fast a replacement can move.

5. Insurance: document everything first

Storm damage to a private pole is usually claimable under home insurance because the pole is a structure on your property. Photograph the tree, the pole, the wires and any other damage before anything is moved, and notify your insurer early.

Be aware that insurers assess the pole's condition before the storm. A pole that was already rotten may see a claim reduced, which is one more argument for the checks in our warning signs guide. We provide the written damage assessment and compliance certificate insurers ask for.

6. Prevent the next one

Most poles that fail in storms were already weakened, and the branches that bring wires down were usually growing too close long before the wind arrived. Responsibility for trimming around private lines sits with the owner, which we cover in who handles vegetation clearance. A five yearly pole inspection through our electrical safety inspection service finds internal rot and termite damage before a storm does.

How High Demand Electrical helps

We are Level 2 ASP electricians for both Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy areas, handling storm hit poles across Sydney: make safe, assessment, insurer paperwork, network applications and full pole replacement. One team takes the job from hazard to restored, certified supply. For specialist pole work you can also reach our dedicated team at HD Power Pole Sydney.

Tree on power pole FAQs (Sydney)

The tree came from my neighbour's yard. Do they pay for my pole?

Your insurer may pursue theirs, but the repair itself is still your responsibility to organise because the pole is your infrastructure. Start the make safe and claim process rather than waiting on a neighbour dispute.

How fast can power be restored after a tree strike?

Make safe usually happens within hours. If the pole must be replaced, an emergency job typically runs 2 to 5 days end to end, with temporary supply options in some cases. See emergency make safe.

Can I cut the tree off the wires myself?

No. A tree in contact with a wire can be energised, and clearing it is work for the network crew. Wait until the distributor confirms the site is safe.

What if the tree only hit the service line, not the pole?

The same rules apply: report it, stay clear, and a Level 2 electrician repairs the line once the network isolates it. Our overhead service mains page covers the repair side.

Storm damage? Get help now

If a tree has hit your pole or wires, call 0402 559 777 once the distributor has been notified and we will get a Level 2 crew moving. You can also request an emergency make safe quote online. Every job starts with a site assessment so scope and price are confirmed before work begins.