Local fencing guide
Brighton to Beaumaris has its own fencing quirks: sandy ground, salt air, trellis rules, protected trees and a lot of knockdown rebuilds. Here is how they change a paling fence.
The City of Bayside runs along Port Phillip Bay from Brighton and Brighton East through Hampton and Sandringham to Black Rock and Beaumaris, and takes in parts of Cheltenham and Highett (shared with Kingston). We are based in Heatherton, a short drive inland, so these are home-turf jobs for us.
Much of the bayside belt sits on sand rather than the reactive clay found further inland. Sand is easy to dig and drains well, which is good for timber, but loose sand grips a post less firmly, and a fence that leans after a few winters usually started with shallow or under-concreted posts.
Closer to Beach Road, salt-laden wind is harder on fixings than on the timber itself. Galvanised or stainless nails and brackets resist rust streaks and loosening better than plain steel. Bayside's afternoon sea breezes and winter storms also load a solid paling fence like a sail, so post spacing and rail count matter more on exposed blocks. Our height and post spacing guide covers the options, and what to do if a fence blows down covers the aftermath.
Bayside's own fences page says the regulations also apply to privacy screens, trellis and trellis extensions on an existing fence. So a 1.8m paling fence with 450mm of trellis on top is a 2.25m structure, which is over the 2 metre line where a building permit and council report and consent generally come in. If you want extra privacy, a 2.0m fence often does the job without a permit; a 2.1m fence or a tall trellis needs the permit step first. The detail is in our fence rules by council guide, our trellis height rules guide and the Victorian fence permit guide.
Bayside's tree rules changed on 1 November 2026: a Local Law permit is now only needed for trees on council's Significant Tree Register, but planning permits still apply in the Vegetation Protection Overlay (Black Rock, Beaumaris and parts of Cheltenham) and can apply to canopy trees in residential zones. Our Bayside fencing guide covers the detail. Big trees along a boundary are common in Beaumaris and Black Rock in particular. Before a new fence goes in, work out with your neighbour whether any tree needs pruning or removal, and check with council if it might be protected. We build around roots rather than through them where we can, and we flag any tree issue at the measure. Vegetation removal and plant protection are not included in our fence price, so sort them out first.
Parts of Brighton and other Bayside streets sit under a Heritage Overlay or a neighbourhood character control. That mostly affects front fences: a planning permit may be needed to build or demolish one, and councils usually prefer low, open designs in heritage streets. Side and rear paling fences are rarely affected. Download your free Planning Property Report from VicPlan, or try Bayside's myLot tool, before you design a front fence. For a low, open front, an aluminium picket fence is one option to put to council.
Draw your boundary on a satellite map and get a free online instant estimate. The on-site measure and written quote are free, and we check height, trellis, trees and overlays on the day.
Get my instant estimate →Bayside has a steady stream of knockdown rebuilds and dual occupancy developments, and the shared fence is often the first casualty. Three things help:
Bayside fences are priced the same way as anywhere in Melbourne, by the metre installed. A properly built 1.8m timber paling fence costs at least $189 a metre to deliver, GST included, per the Melbourne Fence Cost Index (November 2026), and a 2.1m privacy fence costs more. Quotes well below that usually leave something out: cheaper treated pine posts, no GST, no registered builder or no written warranty. A lapped and capped finish, old fence removal, gates and tight side access all add to that. The index is a minimum, not our price: the paling fence cost guide breaks down the spec ladder, and the instant estimate prices your actual boundary.
Hardwood posts set in concrete are standard on every timber fence we build. Gates are priced separately and old fence removal is itemised. We build new fences; we do not take repair-only jobs.
Usually not for a side or rear fence up to 2 metres. Bayside's fences page says a building permit may be needed where a fence is over 2 metres, higher than average or could block sight lines near an intersection, and trellis on top counts toward the height. A Heritage Overlay can add a planning permit, mostly for front fences.
Yes. Bayside's fences page says the regulations also apply to privacy screens, trellis and trellis extensions on an existing fence. A 1.8m fence with 450mm of trellis is a 2.25m structure, which is over the 2 metre line where a building permit and council consent generally apply.
It depends on the tree and the overlay. Since 1 November 2026 Bayside only needs a Local Law permit for trees on its Significant Tree Register, but planning permits still apply in the Vegetation Protection Overlay (Black Rock, Beaumaris and parts of Cheltenham) and can apply to canopy trees. Check with council before any work on a large tree along the fence line.
Bayside fences are priced like the rest of Melbourne. A properly built 1.8 m timber paling fence costs at least $189 a metre to deliver in Melbourne, GST included, per the Melbourne Fence Cost Index (November 2026). A 2.1m privacy fence costs more. Removal, gates, slope, access and upgrades such as lapped and capped palings add to that. The index is a minimum, not our price.
Yes, if the posts are right. Sand drains well, which helps timber, but it grips a post less firmly than clay. Deep holes, concrete-set posts and a plinth that keeps palings off the ground are what keep a bayside fence straight. We use hardwood posts set in concrete as standard.
Under the Fences Act 1968 (Vic), neighbours generally share the cost of a sufficient dividing fence equally, whoever is building. If the old fence is damaged by building works, that is a matter between you and the neighbour or their builder. Agree in writing what happens to the fence before demolition starts.
Start with a free online instant estimate: draw your boundary on a satellite map and see a figure in about 2 minutes. Then book a free, no-obligation on-site measure and written quote. We need 24 hours' notice and there is no deposit to book.
Get my instant estimate → Call (03) 4328 3068General information only, current at 8 November 2026. Council rules and local laws change, so check with Bayside City Council or a registered building surveyor for your property. Sources: Bayside City Council, Fences; Bayside City Council, tree pruning or removal permit; Bayside City Council, planning permits and myLot; Fences Act 1968 (Vic). Price ranges are from the published guides cited in our fence cost guide.