Vegetation Clearance Near Your Property: Is It Your Job, Ausgrid's or Endeavour's?

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Who is responsible for clearing vegetation near the powerlines at your place? The split works the same way across Sydney: your network distributor, whether that is Ausgrid or Endeavour Energy, keeps trees clear of the shared powerlines in your street, while trees threatening the service line that feeds only your property, and any private lines or poles on your land, are the owner's responsibility. The two networks run different rulebooks and trimming procedures, but the boundary between their job and yours sits in the same place.

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1. The boundary: network assets versus your assets

Everything up to the connection point belongs to the network. That means the street mains, the poles carrying them and the transformers feeding your suburb, and the distributor keeps vegetation clear of all of it. Everything past the connection point is yours, which typically means the service line to your house, any private power pole, and aerial consumer mains on larger blocks. The network does not prune trees around assets you own, even though those wires are just as live.

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2. How it works in Ausgrid areas

Ausgrid schedules cyclic trimming around its mains through authorised vegetation crews, and its Electrical Safety Rules only permit trained and authorised people to work inside set clearances from live wires. Trees on your property that threaten only your own service line generally sit outside those programs and stay your responsibility. We cover the Ausgrid side in detail in who trims what in Ausgrid areas, and the seasonal procedures in Ausgrid's bushfire season vegetation rules.

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3. How it works in Endeavour Energy areas

Endeavour Energy covers Western Sydney, the Blue Mountains and beyond, and runs the same model: network crews keep the shared mains clear, and private assets are the owner's job. Its Electrical Safety Rules set their own safe approach distances, observer requirements and cutting methods for vegetation crews, which we unpack in Endeavour Energy's bushfire and vegetation clearance rules. For the broader rulebook, start with Endeavour Energy's Electrical Safety Rules explained.

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4. Bushfire prone land: where the obligations get real

On land mapped as bushfire prone, the Service and Installation Rules of NSW back your distributor with real powers. If a private overhead line is defective or vegetation around it is overgrown, the distributor can require you to rectify it, carry out the work at your cost if you do not, or disconnect the installation. A defect notice about vegetation is not a suggestion. Our guide to what SIRNSW says about bush fire management for your service line covers those obligations in full.

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5. Not sure which network you are on?

Responsibility is the same either way, but who you call is not. Two suburbs a few minutes apart can sit on different networks, so before reporting a tree on a wire or booking work, check your network area in seconds with our postcode checker.

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6. What you can safely do yourself

Plenty, as long as you stay well clear of any wires. Plant low growing species near the service line route, watch for branches creeping toward the wires after each storm season, and trim vegetation that is nowhere near a conductor. For anything close to the wires, the safe route is a planned temporary disconnection: a Level 2 ASP can disconnect your service, stand by while the arborist works, and reconnect the same day.

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Why it's Level 2 ASP work

Disconnecting and reconnecting a service line, repairing storm damage to it, or restringing it after tree damage all involve the connection between your property and the network. Only an accredited Level 2 ASP may do that work in NSW, regardless of which distributor covers your street.

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How High Demand Electrical helps

We handle the electrical side of tree work in both networks: planned disconnect and reconnect for arborists, emergency make safe when branches bring a line down, overhead service repairs and upgrades, and private power pole replacements. If your line has not been looked at in years, an electrical safety inspection before storm and fire season is cheap insurance.

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Vegetation Responsibility FAQs (Sydney)

Does the network ever trim trees on private property?

Yes, where those trees threaten the shared network mains, crews may need access to trim them. Trees threatening only your own service line are a different matter and generally stay your responsibility.

Who pays for trimming near my service line?

You do, as the owner of that asset. Using a qualified crew, with the line temporarily disconnected where needed, keeps the job safe and legal.

What happens if I ignore overgrown vegetation near my private line?

On bushfire prone land the distributor can order rectification, do the work and bill you, or disconnect the supply. See our defect notice rectification service if you have already received an order.

A branch is resting on the wire right now. What do I do?

Keep everyone away from the tree and the ground around its base, then call Ausgrid on 13 13 88 or Endeavour Energy on 131 003. Call 000 first if there is immediate danger.

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Need the power side of tree work handled properly? Get a disconnect and reconnect quote or call 0402 559 777. Every job starts with a site assessment so scope and pricing are confirmed before any work begins.