Firebreak renewal for bushfire season

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Case study

EPBC Act

Agriculture

25 May 2026

The situation

A landholder is preparing their property for the bushfire season. As part of this, they maintain a firebreak around existing infrastructure. This helps:

reduce bushfire risk
protect people, buildings and stock.

The firebreak has been maintained each year since 1995. Over time, some vegetation has grown back within the firebreak area.

Proposed activity

The landholder will:

re-establish a 20-metre-wide firebreak around existing infrastructure
carry out work within the same area as the existing firebreak
remove only minor regrowth since the last maintenance
make sure the firebreak meets state planning and fire management rules.

Key considerations

This is routine maintenance, not new development or expansion.
The firebreak has been maintained since 1995.
Any clearing is limited to minor regrowth in an already cleared area.
The work helps protect life and property and aligns with state requirements.
The activity does not involve new clearing, land use change, or impacts on Matters of National Environmental Significance (MNES).

Outcome

No EPBC Act self-assessment or referral is required.

This activity is exempt because it involves ongoing maintenance of an existing firebreak within the same area.

If the landholder plans to create a new firebreak, widen it, or clear land that has not been maintained before, a self-assessment may be needed. If this shows potential impacts on MNES, a referral may be required.