Fencing in Silvan

Orchards, berry farms and the farm overlay

Silvan's soils suit fruit, vegetables and flowers, and its pick-your-own orchards, berry farms and spring tulip festival draw tourists. About two thirds of the locality is Green Wedge farmland, and on the tree site's sample most of that was under SLO5, the overlay for the red-soil farming country.

SLO5 needs a planning permit for a fence unless it is a rural post and open-weave wire fence under 1.8 m. Netting or mesh fencing for a crop, a solid fence around a packing shed, or a paling fence beside the house can each fall outside that, so ask Yarra Ranges before it goes up.

Checked 25 October 2026 against Wikipedia: Silvan, Victoria, Vicmap Planning, the state's zone and overlay maps (DataVic), measured across the suburb and Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedules to Clause 42.03 (SLO1–6, SLO22, SLO23).

Wire, barbs and neighbours

Between two farms the Fences Act's sufficient fence is the farm standard, usually post and wire, and neighbours share its cost equally. Barbed wire beside a road or open space is allowed only on a block of 2,000 m² or more used mainly for livestock. The state's Land for Wildlife note prefers plain wire where it will do. Farm fencing goes further, and dividing fences covers the notice to a neighbour.

Checked 25 October 2026 against Fences Act 1968 (Vic), authorised version 072, Building Regulations 2018 (Vic), authorised version 031 and Land for Wildlife note LW0029: fencing wildlife habitat (1999).

The reservoir land and the township

Silvan Reservoir was finished in 1932, and nearly a third of the locality is public utility land. On the tree site's sample that land sits under SLO1 and ESO1. ESO1's fence wording is unclear, so a block under it is a question for Yarra Ranges planning.

The small residential pocket is under the township schedule, SLO22, which only governs front fences: a permit unless under 1.2 m or more than 75% see-through.

A VicPlan property report shows which applies to your block.

Checked 25 October 2026 against Wikipedia: Silvan, Victoria, Vicmap Planning, the state's zone and overlay maps (DataVic), measured across the suburb, Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedules to Clause 42.03 (SLO1–6, SLO22, SLO23) and Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedules to Clause 42.01 (ESO1, ESO2).

Farm overlays on every side

Monbulk

SLO5 on its farms like Silvan, and SLO22 in its larger township.

Macclesfield

SLO6, with the same post and open-weave wire exception as SLO5.

Olinda and Mount Evelyn

Olinda is SLO1, where a wire fence needs to be under 1.8 m and mostly open. Mount Evelyn is mostly SLO22, a front-fence rule.

Checked 25 October 2026 against Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, Schedules to Clause 42.03 (SLO1–6, SLO22, SLO23).