Half Share Fencing

If your property adjoins Melbourne Water freehold land, you may be eligible for reimbursement of up to 50% of the cost of constructing an approved boundary fence.

The process involves two stages which are:

Stage 1: Apply for half-share fencing

Submit your application, including fencing details and quotes for approval.

Stage 2: Apply for Reimbursement for half share fencing

Once your quotes have been approved and construction is complete, you may then apply to be reimbursed for Melbourne Water’s approved contribution.

Eligibility

To be eligible for half-share fencing:

Fencing must be appropriate for the area and consistent with existing fencing and may be subject to conditions relating to site access, maintenance, drainage, safety, and operational requirements.
Your property must adjoin Melbourne Water freehold land (properties adjoining Crown land are not eligible)

Eligible Fence types

Melbourne Water will pay towards the following fence types:

Standard paling fences up to 1.95 metres high
- Anything above 2 metres high may require a permit with council
Farm fencing (rural areas or where appropriate)
Chain mesh fencing (where appropriate)

Note: Property owners are responsible for ongoing fence maintenance.

Non-Eligible Items

We will not contribute to the cost of:

Barbed wire fencing
Colorbond fencing
- Where Colorbond fencing is proposed, Melbourne Water’s contribution is limited to the equivalent cost of a standard timber paling fence. Quotes for standard paling fencing must still be provided.
Gates
Capping
Trellis
Retaining walls
Vegetation removal - It is the property owners' responsibility to ensure they get any necessary permits that may be required from their local council. If vegetation removal is required on Melbourne Water land, a minimum of 90 days’ notice must be provided to allow adequate planning and completion of works

Important Conditions

Prior consent is required for the installation of gates, access points, or barbed wire fencing along shared boundaries. Unauthorised works may result in the approved contribution being withheld
Applications may be declined if works commence before Melbourne Water approval is issued
This application does not constitute approval to construct a fence. You must confirm with your local council whether a permit is required before construction

In some cases, Melbourne Water may initiate half-share fencing works as the adjoining landowner. Where this occurs, we will provide reasonable notice, and you may be required to contribute to the cost as part of a shared fencing arrangement

Where a proposed fence may impact access to Melbourne Water land or assets, or other considerations apply (such as infrastructure within your property), your application may be referred internally for further assessment. This may extend processing times, but we will keep you informed if this occurs.

Accessing Melbourne Water Land

If you require ongoing or frequent access to Melbourne Water land, you must apply for permission.

If approved, you may be required to enter into a lease, licence, or short-term access agreement or provide evidence of existing agreement with Melbourne Water.

Apply to access our land | Melbourne Water

Approval process

Using a contractor

To apply for half share fencing (using a contractor), you must provide:

A sketch plan showing fence location, dimensions, and length
At least two contractor quotes (Melbourne Water does not build fences)
Photos of the existing fence condition
Photos showing vegetation cleared along the fence line
Confirmation the contractor is appropriately qualified

Self-construction

To apply for half share fencing (self- constructed), Your home insurance must include adequate public liability cover, to apply, you must provide:

A sketch plan
Photos of existing conditions
Photos of the cleared fence line
Receipts for all materials

If approved, you will receive written confirmation outlining Melbourne Water’s contribution.

Timeframes:

The process will take up to 28 days, complex applications may take longer. Incomplete applications may also be delayed or returned requesting additional information.