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      • Book a Park
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      • Skate Parks
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      • Who needs a food licence
      • Apply, Amend or Cancel
      • Food Safety
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      • Environmentally Relevant Activities
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      • Trade Waste
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Living Here
  1. Home
  2. Living Here
  3. Residents
  4. Fact Sheets - Fences and Retaining Walls
Back

Living Here

  • Pets and Animals
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    • CoastSnap
    • Conservation Programs and Initiatives
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    • Weed Spray Equipment Hire
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Fences and Retaining Walls

Depending on your property circumstances, a fence and/or retaining wall can be located:

  • on a common boundary between two properties (with consent of both owners), OR
  • within your property boundary, OR
  • as required by any approval that may have been obtained – such as units
 

Fences

A fence is a structure that divides two areas of land and can be made of timber, blockwork or colourbond and supported with posts.

 

Retaining Walls

A retaining wall is a structure created to support an excavated or filled embankment.

Fences

Can I build a fence without Council approval?

Yes:

✔ If your fence is not a pool fence,
✔ And is under 2m in height.

Please note that a site survey of the property by a professional surveyor may be required to make sure the fence is on the boundary if there are no visible survey pegs. This will affect encroachment issues in the future.

 

Does my fence need to be a certain style?

Council does not regulate the style of fencing on residential properties. However, it is recommended that fencing styles are designed and constructed to reflect your neighbourhood’s character. Fence height may also be specified by Council when it is a condition of an approval for a larger development such as for units, duplexes, commercial buildings or certain subdivisions/housing estates.

  

Checklist - Fences

This checklist helps you manage the steps to obtain an approval to construct a retaining wall.

Click on the + symbol or the questions below to expand and display each item.
Who will need to be involved?

☑ RPEQ Engineer

☑ Building Certifier

☑ Contractor

What do I need to prepare?

☐ Completed DA Application Form 2

☐ Site Plan that has been drawn to scale and with dimensions (measurements) that shows the details of the fence location, size and materials.

☐ Cross Section through the proposed fence with dimensions (measurements).

☐ Assessment fee as per Council’s Fees and charges

☐ Distances from existing structures

☐ Location of easements and existing infrastructure on site.

Submit your application:

☐ Applications can be submitted and paid for using Council’s Online Development Application Portal.

Get started:

☐ Engage a registered builder or contractor to build the fence, if needed, otherwise build the fence in accordance with the approval conditions.

For more information please contact Council on (07) 4970 0700 or info@gladstone.qld.gov.au.

 

Retaining Walls

Are there any special requirements for retaining walls?

Retaining walls require Council approval and a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland sign off. Guidelines and processes are dependent on individual circumstances. Consideration should be given to existing overland drainage patterns to ensure non worsening to adjoining properties.

 

Can I build a retaining wall without an approval?

You do not need an approval if the wall meets all 3 of the below requirements:

✔ The retaining wall is not located within 1.5 metres of a building or another retaining wall.
✔ The height of the retaining wall measured from the adjacent natural ground level is less than one metre.
✔ The retaining wall has no surcharge loading (for example, a driveway above the retaining wall will impose a surcharge loading on the retaining wall).

 

Checklist - Retaining Walls

This checklist helps you manage the steps to obtain an approval to construct a retaining wall.

Click on the + symbol or the questions below to expand and display each item.
Who will need to be involved?

☑ RPEQ Engineer

☑ Building Certifier

☑ Contractor

Do I need a retaining wall?

If you are proposing a retaining wall you will need to consult with an engineer to prepare a plan showing the location of the wall on your property. If a surcharge loading is imposed on the wall, the height of the wall is one (1) metre or greater, or the wall is located within 1.5 metres of a building or another retaining wall, a building approval will be required.

For all retaining walls it is recommended that an appropriate distance is maintained between the property boundary and the closest part of the retaining wall. Please also ensure that the wall is not within two (2) metres of underground services like sewer mains, stormwater pipes or water supply mains.

What do I need to prepare?

☐ Engage a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ) to select, design and certify the most suitable type of retaining wall for the site.

☐ Advise the RPEQ if you are planning another structure that will be near the wall (for example, driveway or building loads adjacent to wall).

☐ Obtain a copy of the engineer-designed section for the wall signed and certified by the RPEQ

☐ Compliance Certicate for Building Design or Specification.

☐ Completed DA Application Form 2.

☐ Site Plan that has been drawn to scale and with dimensions (measurements) that shows the details of the retaining walls’ location, size, design and distance from existing structures.

☐ If applicable, the site plan must also show the location of any easements and infrastructure on the site.

☐ Cross section of the driveway crossing (if the crossing is on steep land you may be asked to provide additional sections).

☐ Assessment fee as per Council’s Fees and charges.

 

Contact Council on (07) 4970 0700 or info@gladstone.qld.gov.au for further assistance.

 

To see other Fact Sheets, hover over the image above and click on an aspect (or symbol such as a fence, house etc). This will display another Fact Sheet for you on that subject.
Return to Buying, Building and Renovation Menu
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Living Here

SELECT
  • Pets and Animals
      BackPets and Animals
    • Breeding Permits
    • Dangerous and Prohibited Animals
    • Dogs in Public Places
    • Impounded Animals
    • Lost and Found
    • Microchipping
    • Pet Pals Program
    • Registration
    • Requirements for Animal Owners
  • Residents
      BackResidents
    • Advanced Water Meters
    • Bin Collection Day
    • Buying Building Renovation
    • Glad to be in Gladstone
    • EzyBill
    • Pay, Apply and Report
    • Mapping
    • Rates
        BackRates
      • About You
      • Financial Hardship
      • Forms and Policies
      • My Rate Notice
      • Objection to Rating Category
      • Outstanding Rates
      • Payment Options
      • Pension Concession
      • Rates Explained
      • Substituted Service
      • Utility Charges
      • FAQs
    • Regulated Parking
    • Update Your Details
    • Waste and Recycling
        BackWaste and Recycling
      • Landfill Bin and Waste Disposal
      • Recycling Bin and Specialised Services
      • Recycle Mate
      • Waste Education
      • Waste Levy
    • Water Meters
    • Water Wise
  • Report
      BackReport
    • Abandoned Vehicles
    • Claims against Council
    • Environmental and Noise Complaints
    • Illegal Dumping
    • Overgrown and Unsightly Premises
    • Problem Animals
    • Signs and Abandoned Goods Register
    • Straying Livestock
  • Environment
      BackEnvironment
    • Air Quality
    • Biodiversity
    • Biosecurity
    • Blue-green algae blooms
    • Bushfire Mitigation
    • Coasts and Coastal Vegetation
    • CoastSnap
    • Conservation Programs and Initiatives
    • Erosion and Sediment Control
    • Feral Animals
    • First Nations Fire and Land Officer
    • Landfill Gas Abatement
    • Mosquitoes
    • Pests and Weeds
    • Weed Spray Equipment Hire
    • Wildlife
  • Community Development
      BackCommunity Development
    • Access and Inclusion
    • Citizenship
    • Community Engagement
    • Connecting Council with Curriculum
    • Community Safety
    • Community Services Directory
    • Philip Street Communities and Families Precinct
    • Reconciliation Action Plan
    • Sport and Recreation
    • Volunteering
    • Welcoming Cities
    • Youth Services
  • Community Investment
      BackCommunity Investment
    • Grant Funding Finder
    • Other Funding Sources
  • Services
      BackServices
    • Bridges
    • Cemeteries
    • Immunisations
    • Public Notices and Outages
    • Roads
    • Sewerage
    • Transfer Stations and Landfills
    • Water
  • Emergencies
      BackEmergencies
    • RegionWatch
    • Disaster Information
    • Before a Disaster
    • During a Disaster
    • After a Disaster

Gladstone Regional Council

Connect. Innovate. Diversify.

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Get in Touch

Phone

(07) 4970 0700

Opening Hours

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Postal Address

PO Box 29, Gladstone Qld 4680

Council Offices

101 Goondoon Street, Gladstone Qld 4680
3 Don Cameron Drive, Calliope Qld 4680
41 Blomfield Street, Miriam Vale Qld 4677
Cnr Wyndham & Hayes Avenues, Boyne Island Qld 4680

Rural Transaction Centres

71 Springs Road, Agnes Water Qld 4677
47 Raglan Street, Mount Larcom Qld 4695

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Footer Acknowledgement

Gladstone Regional Council would like to acknowledge the Bailai, the Gurang, the Gooreng Gooreng and the Taribelang Bunda people who are the traditional custodians of this land. Gladstone Regional Council would also like to pay respect to Elders both past, present and emerging, and extend that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Learn more about Council's Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

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