The Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Amendment Regulations 2026 come into force on 23 July, introducing significant changes to the management of vegetation near electricity lines. The amendments aim to reduce outages and improve public safety by addressing the risk of trees encroaching or falling onto lines.

New treefall hazard regime

The Regulations do not currently apply to fall distance trees whose foliage does not encroach into the growth limit zones around conductors The amendment’s most significant reform is the introduction of a treefall hazard regime to fill this gap.

Network operators will be able to carry out assessments for trees located within a treefall hazard zone, which extends 24 metres beyond the existing growth limit zone around each conductor. 

Trees may be assessed as presenting a moderate or high treefall hazard based on factors such as their likelihood of falling and the consequences for electricity supply and public safety if they do. Tree owners may challenge a treefall hazard assessment through arbitration.

Network operators may issue a treefall hazard notice requiring the removal of trees assessed as a moderate or high hazard. Tree owners will have:

• 25 working days to remove a tree assessed as a high treefall hazard; or
• 45 working days to remove a tree assessed as a moderate treefall hazard.

Tree owners must notify the network operator at least three days before removal occurs. 

A tree owner’s failure to comply with a treefall hazard notice may result in a fine of up to $10,000. In addition, the tree owner will be liable for any damage caused to a conductor due to their failure to comply (and possibly, outside the Regulations, for other losses and damages too).

In some circumstances the network operator can remove a tree if the tree owner does not comply with a treefall hazard notice. However, the amendment does not resolve the existing issue that the Regulations do not provide network operators with a right of access to carry out tree trimming or removal work.

Network operators are generally required to meet the reasonable costs of tree removal.

Treefall hazard notices cannot be issued before 23 July 2028, although network operators may begin undertaking assessments from 23 July 2026. 

New planting restrictions near rural powerlines

The amendments also introduce a low-height planting zone for lines on unforested land outside urban areas, which extends 24 metres either side of the vertical plane of a conductor. 

From 23 July 2027, landowners and occupiers will only be permitted to plant trees within the low-height planting zone if they have reasonable grounds to believe that the tree’s mature height will be less than its fall distance from the conductor. Exceptions apply for shelter belts and conservation land.

While breaching the restrictions is not an offence, there are significant potential consequences for the tree owner, including:

• Being required to meet trimming or removal costs;
• Losing access to the no-interest tree and dispensation processes; and
• Liability for damage caused to conductors.

Notification requirements

The regulations also modernise information disclosure requirements by removing the need for network operators to publish information about rights and obligations under the Regulations in local newspapers or provide information directly to consumers. Instead, network operators must publish the information on publicly accessible websites.

What does this mean in practice?

For network operators, the new regime provides a framework for proactively addressing trees that may fall onto powerlines. 

For rural landowners, the changes introduce restrictions on planting and may shift responsibility where trees are planted too close to electricity lines. 

With the amendments taking effect on 23 July 2026, and the planting restrictions and treefall hazard notice regime being phased in over the following two years, network operators and tree owners should review their vegetation management plans now. 

Get in touch

If you would like to discuss the new amendments, get in touch with one of our experts.

Special thanks to Milou Lodewijks and Isabel Van Tuinen for their assistance in writing this article.