Verges

Overview

A verge is the area of land that lies between the road and your property’s boundary. Verges are part of the road reserve and are set aside for public utilities, including gas and water, paths and street trees.

Ensure your verge not only looks great, but is safe and compliant by familiarising yourself with the following:

Who should maintain a verge?

You are responsible for maintaining the verge at the front or side of your property, including any improvement works to enhance your property’s aesthetics.

We are responsible for controlling the development of street verges and the provision and maintenance of street trees. We are also responsible for verge maintenance adjacent to our buildings, parks and reserves.

Do I need approval to landscape my verge?

Consult our Verge Guidelines for information.

Generally, approval is not required when laying lawn, installing retic or for landscaping that incorporates low shrubs and groundcovers, mulch, organic and other surface treatments such as gravel aggregates, kerbs and rocks, but the installation must meet the Guidelines (see pages 1-2 of the guidelines).

If you are intending to apply for the waterwise verge rebate, we recommend that you contact our Environmental Services team prior to undertaking any work to ensure eligibility:

Approval is required prior to the installation of hardscape treatments including concrete, asphalt/bitumen and paving.

Waterwise Verge Treatment

Through the Waterwise Verge Rebate, you can apply to receive 50% of the cost of your soft landscaping (plants and mulch) back.

Waterwise verges must comply with the specifications set out in our Verge Guidelines document.

We recommend touching base with our Environmental Services team prior to undertaking any work to ensure eligibility:

Hardscape Verge Treatment

Approval is required prior to installing any of the following materials within your landscaped verge:

  • Paving bricks, concrete pavers or similar
  • Bitumen/asphalt
  • Concrete

Prepare Supporting Documentation/Information

Note that some materials are not acceptable for the verge, including synthetic turf, blue metal dust, road base and particular aggregates.

To enable prompt assessment of your application, please ensure you have consulted our Verge Guidelines for information on acceptable materials, installation and maintenance, and other conditions that apply including the extent of hardscape materials allowed on the verge; and have details of your proposed works and a scaled plan or sketch ready for uploading, detailing

  • Measurements of the verge and existing features
  • Sizes in metres of the proposed hard surface treatment/s, all clearly labelled
  • Information of the sub base, (e.g. sand bedding, compacted), edge restraint and material/s
  • The existing features such as driveway/crossover and street tree/s or other existing vegetation
  • Any additional planting proposed including new street trees.

No works are to commence on verge treatments that require an Application Form until approval in writing has been received from the Shire of Murray.

Apply

Introduction

Navigate through the different form sections using the navigation on the left, or use the next/previous buttons located at the bottom of each step.

Property Details

Address
Is the owner's address the same as the address above *
Owner address (if different to above)

Proposed Treatment

Maximum size of ALL attachments is 976.56 MB
  • Measurements of the verge and existing features
  • Sizes in metres of the proposed hard surface treatment/s, all clearly labelled
  • Information of the sub base, (e.g. sand bedding, compacted), edge restraint and material/s
  • The existing features such as driveway/crossover and street tree/s or other existing vegetation
  • Any additional planting proposed including new street trees
Maximum size of ALL attachments is 976.56 MB

Validate and Submit Form

 
Get Audio Code

 

 

Prepare Supporting Documentation/Information

Note that some materials are not acceptable for the verge, including synthetic turf, blue metal dust, road base and particular aggregates.

To enable prompt assessment of your application, please ensure you have consulted our Verge Guidelines for information on acceptable materials, installation and maintenance, and other conditions that apply including the extent of hardscape materials allowed on the verge; and have details of your proposed works and a scaled plan or sketch ready for uploading, detailing

  • Measurements of the verge and existing features
  • Sizes in metres of the proposed hard surface treatment/s, all clearly labelled
  • Information of the sub base, (e.g. sand bedding, compacted), edge restraint and material/s
  • The existing features such as driveway/crossover and street tree/s or other existing vegetation
  • Any additional planting proposed including new street trees.

No works are to commence on verge treatments that require an Application Form until approval in writing has been received from the Shire of Murray.

Apply

Download, print and complete the Hardscape Verge Treatment Application form.

Visit our office, with your completed form including a scaled plan or sketch of the proposed works:

Shire of Murray Administration Office, 1915 Pinjarra Road, Pinjarra 6208  View Map

Sunday Closed
Monday 8:30AM-4:30PM
Tuesday 8:30AM-4:30PM
Wednesday 8:30AM-4:30PM
Thursday 8:30AM-4:30PM
Friday 8:30AM-4:30PM
Saturday Closed

Prepare Supporting Documentation/Information

Note that some materials are not acceptable for the verge, including synthetic turf, blue metal dust, road base and particular aggregates.

To enable prompt assessment of your application, please ensure you have consulted our Verge Guidelines for information on acceptable materials, installation and maintenance, and other conditions that apply including the extent of hardscape materials allowed on the verge; and have details of your proposed works and a scaled plan or sketch ready for uploading, detailing

  • Measurements of the verge and existing features
  • Sizes in metres of the proposed hard surface treatment/s, all clearly labelled
  • Information of the sub base, (e.g. sand bedding, compacted), edge restraint and material/s
  • The existing features such as driveway/crossover and street tree/s or other existing vegetation
  • Any additional planting proposed including new street trees.

No works are to commence on verge treatments that require an Application Form until approval in writing has been received from the Shire of Murray.

Apply

Download, print and complete the Hardscape Verge Treatment Application form.

Post your completed form and scaled plan or sketch to PO Box 21, Pinjarra WA 6208.

Works complete? Great!

Apply for your rebate:

Prepare Supporting Documentation/Information

To support your application, please have the following ready for uploading:

  • Proof of purchase of soft landscaping (plants and mulch)
  • Before and after photos of your verge

Apply

Introduction

Navigate through the different form sections using the navigation on the left, or use the next/previous buttons located at the bottom of each step.

Property Details

Congratulations on installing your waterwise verge!

Address

Applicant Details

Maximum size of ALL attachments is 976.56 MB

Soft Landscaping Details | Plants and Mulch

Maximum size of ALL attachments is 976.56 MB

Image Upload

Maximum size of ALL attachments is 976.56 MB
The verge photos, including any future photos, may be used in Shire and Water Corporation publications including print and digital material. Shire officers will inspect the verge periodically and may take photographs. *

Rebate Information

Please provide your bank account details for the rebate

Validate and Submit Form

 
Get Audio Code

 

Prepare Supporting Documentation/Information

  • Proof of purchase of soft landscaping (plants and mulch)
  • Before and after photos of your verge

Apply

Download, print and complete the Waterwise Verge Rebate Application form.

Visit our office, with your completed form and supporting information:

Shire of Murray Administration Office, 1915 Pinjarra Road, Pinjarra 6208  View Map

Sunday Closed
Monday 8:30AM-4:30PM
Tuesday 8:30AM-4:30PM
Wednesday 8:30AM-4:30PM
Thursday 8:30AM-4:30PM
Friday 8:30AM-4:30PM
Saturday Closed

Prepare Supporting Documentation/Information

  • Proof of purchase of soft landscaping (plants and mulch)
  • Before and after photos of your verge

Apply

Download, print and complete the Waterwise Verge Rebate Application form.

Post your completed form and supporting information to PO Box 21, Pinjarra WA 6208.

Shire of Murray Responsibilities

Inspection

Verges may be inspected by the Shire from time to time, to ensure that verge treatments are installed and maintained to the Verge Guidelines.

Compliance

Should a verge treatment not comply with these Verge Guidelines, or local laws, or has otherwise been deemed a safety hazard, the Shire may require the property owner to make the necessary changes to comply. Should these changes not be made, the Shire may complete the works at the property owners’ cost.

Works in the Verge

The Shire of Murray, and any other authority empowered to do so such as utility service providers including gas, water, electricity and fire services, may need to periodically excavate in a verge. The Shire of Murray or other authority is not liable to compensate any person for that disturbance nor replace any verge treatment because of such works

Resident Responsibilities

  • The verge’s adjacent land owner/ applicant will be responsible for costs involved in the construction and maintenance of verge treatment/s.
  • The necessary Application/s for the verge treatment, including if required a Traffic Management Plan, must be submitted to the Shire of Murray prior to works.
  • Contact service authorities and ‘Dial Before You Dig’ on 1100 to locate all underground services prior to any works, and
  • The verge treatment is to be maintained in a safe and tidy condition at all times.
  • Accept that the verge remains public property and may be traversed by the Shire and other authorities as and when required; and by pedestrians and cyclists for access along the verge.
  • Water and maintain the verge in a manner that does not cause a nuisance to other verge or road users.
  • Take all care to ensure that no damage is caused to underground services and other road reserve infrastructure, both during installation and ongoing maintenance of the verge.

Click here to read the complete Verge Guidelines

Spraying of Weeds

It is not possible for us to control weed growth by mechanical means, so where weed growth becomes a problem along footpaths and kerbs, the area is sprayed.

Every effort is made not to spray well maintained verges, however sometimes this occurs inadvertently.

Contact our Infrastructure Services department to add your well-maintained verge to our list of properties which are not sprayed: