Bushfire Preparedness for NSW South Coast Strata Buildings
Common-property planning for Shoalhaven, Eurobodalla and Bega Valley owners corporations
Bushfire preparation in a strata scheme requires more than asking individual residents to clean up around their homes. Roofs, gutters, gardens, driveways, access routes, external walls, plant rooms and shared services may be common property. Decisions about vegetation, contractors, budgets and building work must therefore be coordinated by the owners corporation.
That coordination is especially important across the NSW South Coast. Schemes near bushland, reserves, escarpments or vegetated coastal corridors can face ember attack, radiant heat, smoke, blocked access and extended utility outages. The practical issues vary from Nowra, Jervis Bay and Ulladulla in Shoalhaven City Council, to Batemans Bay, Moruya and Narooma in Eurobodalla Shire, and Bermagui, Tathra, Merimbula and Eden in Bega Valley Shire.
A sound strata bushfire program connects three things: the building's mapped and site-specific risk, the owners corporation's responsibility for common property, and each household's personal survival plan. It does not replace directions from emergency services, a qualified bushfire professional, the consent authority or the insurer.
The central principle
The owners corporation prepares and maintains common property. Each resident prepares their own household, makes personal safety decisions and follows current NSW RFS warnings. A committee communication plan supports residents; it is not an evacuation order or a substitute for emergency-service advice.
1. Start by establishing the building's actual bushfire risk
Do not assume that a property is low risk because it is close to the coast, located in a town centre or surrounded by other buildings. The first step is to establish whether any part of the parcel is mapped as bush fire prone land and then review the building's existing planning and construction records.
Shoalhaven City Council
Shoalhaven Council explains that land is bush fire prone when a property is wholly or partly within the mapped vegetation or buffer categories. Its online mapping tools can help committees check the site before seeking project-specific planning advice. This is relevant to schemes across Nowra, Bomaderry, Berry, Huskisson, Vincentia, Sussex Inlet, Ulladulla and Mollymook, where urban development can sit close to substantial vegetation.
Eurobodalla Shire Council
Eurobodalla Council directs property owners to the NSW RFS for preparation guidance and hazard reports. It emphasises the importance of a well-maintained asset protection zone where one applies. Schemes in Batemans Bay, Batehaven, Malua Bay, Moruya, Tuross Head and Narooma should check mapping and approved development documents rather than relying on general assumptions about the neighbourhood.
Bega Valley Shire Council
Bega Valley Council provides local bushfire risk-management and emergency-planning information and refers bushfire hazard concerns to the NSW RFS. This is highly relevant to coastal and bush-interface communities including Bermagui, Tathra, Bega, Merimbula, Pambula and Eden.
Documents worth locating include:
the current bush fire prone land map or planning certificate for the site;
the development consent, approved landscape plan and any bushfire assessment;
any Bush Fire Attack Level assessment that formed part of building or renovation work;
conditions dealing with asset protection zones, vegetation, access, water supply or construction;
the strata plan, by-laws, building plans and initial maintenance schedule; and
recent fire-safety, roof, gutter, arborist, landscaping and insurance records.
Planning controls and existing buildings
Planning for Bush Fire Protection 2019 is the NSW framework for development on bushfire-prone land. A strata committee should obtain planning and bushfire advice before alterations, vegetation removal or building upgrades where an approval, existing consent condition or technical assessment may apply.
2. Understand the owners corporation's role
Under section 106 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015, an owners corporation must properly maintain and keep common property in good and serviceable repair. NSW Government guidance identifies roofs, gutters, gardens, driveways, external walls and many shared services as common property in typical schemes, although the registered strata plan and by-laws must always be checked.
For bushfire preparation, this can place the owners corporation in the best position to coordinate work such as:
roof and gutter inspection, cleaning and repairs;
maintenance of common gardens, lawns and approved asset protection zones;
repair of damaged roof tiles, cladding, screens, seals and external gaps where these are common property;
keeping common driveways, gates, hydrants, fire-service access and building identification clear;
removing accumulated combustible waste from common areas;
maintaining pumps, tanks, emergency lighting or other shared infrastructure where installed; and
funding approved inspections, reports and risk-reduction work.
The strata manager can help obtain instructions, arrange meetings, issue work orders and coordinate approved contractors. The committee and owners corporation remain responsible for the decisions within their statutory authority. Technical conclusions should come from appropriately qualified professionals.
3. Complete a pre-season common-property inspection
A documented inspection before higher-risk weather helps the committee identify ordinary maintenance defects that can make ember attack or emergency access worse. The inspection should be proportionate to the building and should not be treated as a Bush Fire Attack Level assessment unless performed by a suitably qualified person for that purpose.
Inspection area, What the committee should check, Roofs and gutters
Remove leaf litter and twigs; check downpipes, valleys, damaged tiles, loose sheets and accessible roof gaps. Consider whether metal gutter guards or other upgrades require professional design or approval.
External envelope
Check broken screens, damaged seals, gaps in cladding, vents and penetrations. Any ember-protection upgrade should be compatible with the building, ventilation requirements and approvals.
Gardens and grounds
Keep lawns and common gardens maintained; remove dead material; review vegetation overhanging buildings; protect drainage paths. Use an arborist or bushfire specialist where needed.
Common storage
Remove abandoned furniture, cardboard, timber and fuel from undercroft areas, carparks and boundaries. Enforce by-laws fairly and provide clear disposal instructions.
Access
Keep driveways, turning areas, gates and fire-service routes unobstructed. Check building numbers and wayfinding are visible from the street.
Shared services
Confirm relevant pumps, emergency lighting, backup systems, hydrants and extinguishers are maintained by competent providers where installed.
Utilities
Record isolation points for gas, electricity and water. Do not direct untrained residents to operate equipment in an emergency.
Records
Photograph the inspection, record defects and decisions, allocate actions and retain invoices, licences, insurance evidence and completion reports.
4. Treat vegetation clearing as a controlled decision
Vegetation management is one of the areas most likely to create confusion. A committee should not assume it can remove trees simply because a building is mapped as bush fire prone or because the work is described as hazard reduction.
The NSW RFS 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Scheme can permit eligible landholders in a designated entitlement area to clear certain trees within 10 metres of a home and certain underlying vegetation within 50 metres. However, the RFS requires users to check the online entitlement tool on the day clearing is proposed and follow the current Code of Practice. Exclusions and conditions can apply. The scheme permits eligible clearing; it does not require clearing.
Before common-property vegetation work, the owners corporation should confirm:
whether the land is within the current entitlement area;
whether the vegetation, land or proposed method is excluded or otherwise regulated;
whether a development consent, landscape plan, biodiversity, heritage or council control applies;
whether the strata committee has delegated authority or a general-meeting resolution is required;
whether neighbours, utilities or adjoining public land are involved; and
whether the contractor is appropriately qualified, licensed where required and insured.
Never use a general blog as clearing authority
Check the NSW RFS 10/50 tool and Code of Practice on the day of the proposed work. If the scheme is outside the entitlement area or an exclusion may apply, contact the relevant council, Local Land Services or the local NSW RFS office before proceeding.
5. Build a strata communication plan - and keep personal decisions personal
The NSW RFS recommends that households know their risk, prepare their property, understand alert levels and keep up to date. A strata scheme can support that process by establishing reliable building-wide communication, particularly where owners live elsewhere, units are tenanted or the complex is used for holidays.
A practical communication plan should include:
a current owner and property-manager contact list, with tenant communication routed lawfully and efficiently;
a nominated committee contact and a backup contact for building matters;
a method for urgent notices that does not rely on only one platform;
a building notice explaining official information sources, including Hazards Near Me NSW and NSW RFS;
a process for checking vacant common areas and securing common property when it is safe to do so;
voluntary and privacy-conscious arrangements for residents who may need extra assistance; and
a post-event process for access restrictions, building inspections, insurer notification and resident updates.
The committee should not promise that somebody will evacuate a resident, guarantee a route will remain open or tell people to wait for a committee message. Fires can change rapidly and official advice may change. Residents should monitor emergency-service information and make their own Bush Fire Survival Plan.
Fire Danger Ratings and Bush Fire Alert Levels, System:
Fire Danger Rating
Moderate: Plan and prepare.
High: Be ready to act.
Extreme: Act now to protect life and property.
Catastrophic: For survival, leave bush fire risk areas.
Bush Fire Alert Advice:
- A fire has started; stay up to date.
- Watch and Act
Threat is heightened; conditions are changing, and action is required. Highest alert level; act immediately.
Source: NSW Rural Fire Service. Always check current ratings, warnings and directions; do not rely on a static table during an emergency.
6. Review insurance, budgets and recovery records
Bushfire readiness is not limited to physical maintenance. The owners corporation should be able to show what is insured, how the replacement value was established, who can notify the insurer and where key records are stored if the building or local office cannot be accessed.
NSW Government guidance states that strata building insurance is mandatory, subject to limited exemptions for some two-lot schemes. It also recommends regular building valuations by a qualified valuer, generally every two to five years, so the level of cover remains appropriate. Residents should separately consider contents insurance because personal belongings are generally not covered by the owners corporation's building policy.
A pre-season financial and records review should cover:
the current policy schedule, declared building information, sums insured, excesses and relevant exclusions;
the latest building replacement valuation and whether major works have altered the risk or value;
the insurer or broker's notification and emergency-make-safe process;
authority for urgent expenditure and the scheme's emergency contractor procedure;
secure electronic copies of the strata plan, policy, contacts, asset register and recent photographs;
budget allowance for routine preparation and foreseeable capital upgrades; and
a clear process for documenting damage before make-safe work, where safe and practicable.
7. Hyper-local examples: three realistic South Coast scenarios
The following are illustrative regional scenarios, not claims about particular buildings managed by Essential Strata. They show how local conditions can change the priorities for a strata committee.
Shoalhaven: a holiday-heavy complex near vegetated land
Consider a 16-lot complex near Huskisson or Ulladulla with several non-resident owners and frequent holiday occupants. The main weakness may not be the physical building; it may be communication. A sensible plan would verify the Shoalhaven bush fire prone land mapping, clean common gutters, review vegetation with qualified advice, display official warning sources for short-stay occupants and ensure emergency contact details do not depend on one resident being present.
Eurobodalla: a hillside scheme with one common driveway
A 12-lot townhouse scheme in Batehaven, Malua Bay or Narooma may have landscaped slopes and a single common driveway. Preparation could include checking overhanging vegetation, keeping the driveway and turning area clear, confirming gates can be accessed, reviewing approved landscaping and engaging insured local contractors before demand peaks. Residents still need personal plans because a committee cannot guarantee that a road or driveway will remain usable during a fire.
Bega Valley: an ember-exposed coastal complex
A low-rise complex near Tathra, Bermagui or Merimbula may face ember exposure even when it is not immediately beside dense bush. The committee could prioritise roof and gutter condition, leaf accumulation, external gaps, common storage and current insurance records. Any building-envelope upgrade should be assessed for approvals, ventilation, waterproofing and compatibility rather than installed as an improvised fix.
8. Use qualified and properly insured South Coast contractors
Regional preparation works best when inspections and maintenance are booked early. During high-demand periods, travel, mobilisation, materials and contractor availability can delay even straightforward work across the Shoalhaven, Eurobodalla and Bega Valley.
Essential Strata Management coordinates vetted, appropriately licensed and insured South Coast tradespeople and specialists according to the work required. A bushfire-preparation program may involve:
accredited bushfire planning or risk-assessment professionals;
qualified arborists and vegetation-management contractors;
roofing and gutter contractors;
licensed builders and relevant Class 2 building practitioners where regulated work requires them;
fire-protection service providers;
electricians, plumbers and pump specialists;
valuers, insurance advisers and loss adjusters; and
emergency make-safe and restoration contractors.
The right contractor depends on the risk and the legal scope of the work. Committees should compare written scopes, licences or professional credentials, insurance evidence, exclusions, timing and completion documentation - not price alone.
9. A practical annual action plan for strata committees
Timing, Committee actions, Before higher-risk weather
Check mapping and records; inspect common property; clean gutters; complete approved vegetation work; review contacts, insurance and emergency procedures.
During the season
Monitor official information; keep access and common areas clear; address new hazards; communicate changes without replacing NSW RFS directions.
On High or Extreme days
Follow the building's communication protocol, postpone unsafe contractor work, reinforce official warning sources and ensure responsible people know their limited building roles.
After a fire or ember event
Wait for official access advice; arrange competent make-safe and inspections; photograph damage where safe; notify the insurer; communicate verified information.
After the season
Review what worked, close outstanding repairs, update the capital works plan where necessary and record lessons for the next AGM or committee meeting.
Local preparation requires local coordination
Bushfire preparedness is most effective when it becomes part of routine strata management rather than a rushed response to a dangerous forecast. For schemes across Shoalhaven City Council, Eurobodalla Shire and Bega Valley Shire, that means checking the site's actual risk, maintaining common property, making lawful vegetation decisions, using qualified contractors and communicating clearly with owners and residents.
Essential Strata Management supports owners corporations from Nowra to Eden with local building visits, planned maintenance, meeting administration, contractor coordination, insurance support and practical communication. Our regional team understands that contractor availability, travel, coastal conditions and bushfire exposure can differ significantly between Nowra, Ulladulla, Batemans Bay, Narooma, Bega, Merimbula and Eden.
Talk to Essential Strata Management
If your committee wants to review its current management arrangements, send us the latest AGM agenda and management agreement. We can discuss the building's priorities and prepare a tailored strata management proposal for your South Coast scheme.
Frequently asked questions
Is a strata building required to have a bushfire plan?
There is no single general NSW strata requirement described as a 'strata bushfire plan' for every scheme. However, owners corporations have common-property maintenance, insurance and legal compliance duties. Buildings on bushfire-prone land may also have planning or consent conditions. Each household should make its own NSW RFS Bush Fire Survival Plan.
How do we check whether our strata scheme is on bush fire prone land?
Check the relevant council bush fire prone land map, the NSW Planning Portal Spatial Viewer and the property's planning certificate. Obtain professional planning or bushfire advice if the answer affects building work, vegetation or compliance decisions.
Can the strata committee remove trees under the 10/50 rule?
Do not assume it can. The land must be within the current entitlement area, the work must comply with the current Code of Practice and strata authority must be confirmed. Check the NSW RFS online tool on the day of proposed clearing and obtain council, RFS or professional advice where exclusions or approvals may apply.
Who is responsible for cleaning strata gutters?
Roofs and gutters are commonly common property, making the owners corporation responsible. The registered strata plan and by-laws should be checked, and safe access should be provided to an insured contractor.
Can a strata manager order residents to evacuate?
No. Emergency services issue warnings and directions, and residents make personal safety decisions based on their own plan and current official advice. A strata manager or committee can circulate verified information and manage common-property actions within its authority.
Should tenants receive bushfire information?
Yes. A scheme should have a practical communication path to residents, including tenants, without bypassing lawful owner and property-manager arrangements. Tenants should also make their own household plan and monitor NSW RFS information.
What should a committee do about residents who may need assistance?
Invite residents to raise accessibility or assistance needs voluntarily and handle information carefully. Do not promise evacuation support that cannot be guaranteed. Encourage early personal planning with family, carers, support providers and emergency-service guidance.
Does strata insurance cover residents' belongings?
Generally, no. NSW Government guidance recommends that owners and tenants consider contents insurance because personal belongings are usually outside the owners corporation's building policy.
How often should the committee review bushfire preparation?
Review it at least annually before higher-risk weather, after major building or landscaping work, after a bushfire or near miss, and whenever mapping, consent conditions, insurance or resident circumstances materially change.
Which app should residents use for NSW warnings?
Hazards Near Me NSW provides current emergency information, fire danger ratings, total fire bans and push notifications. Residents should also monitor the NSW RFS website, local media and emergency-service directions.
Suggested calls to action
Shoalhaven: Is your scheme prepared before the next dangerous fire-weather day? Ask Essential Strata for a local management review.
Eurobodalla: Need help coordinating common-property maintenance and insured regional contractors? Talk to Essential Strata Management.
Bega Valley: Send us your latest AGM agenda for a confidential discussion about your scheme's management priorities.
Authoritative references
1. NSW Rural Fire Service - Bush Fire Survival Plan https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/resources/bush-fire-survival-plan
2. NSW Rural Fire Service - Prepare Your Home https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/plan-and-prepare/prepare-your-property
3. NSW Rural Fire Service - Fire Danger Ratings and Total Fire Bans https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fdr-and-tobans
4. NSW Rural Fire Service - Bush Fire Alert Levels https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/plan-and-prepare/alert-levels
5. NSW Rural Fire Service - 10/50 Vegetation Clearing https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/plan-and-prepare/1050-vegetation-clearing
6. NSW Rural Fire Service - Bush Fire Risk Management Plans https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/plan-and-prepare/know-your-risk/bush-fire-risk-management-plans
7. NSW Government - Hazards Near Me NSW https://www.nsw.gov.au/emergency/hazards-near-me-app
8. NSW Planning - Development Regulations for Bushfire-Prone Land https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/the-planning-system/resilience-and-natural-hazard-risk/bushfires/development-regulations
9. Shoalhaven City Council - Bushfire-Prone Land https://www.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au/Development-and-business/Land-use-and-zoning/Bushfire-prone-land
10. Shoalhaven City Council - Online Mapping Tools https://www.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au/Development-and-business/Land-use-and-zoning/Online-mapping-tools
11. Eurobodalla Shire Council - Bushfire Risk Management https://www.esc.nsw.gov.au/community/emergency-information/bushfire-management
12. Bega Valley Shire Council - Bushfire Risk Management https://www.begavalley.nsw.gov.au/Our-Community/Bushfire-planning-and-recovery/Bushfire-risk-management
13. NSW Government - Strata Repairs and Maintenance https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/strata/living/repairs-and-maintenance
14. NSW Government - Managing Strata Finances and Insurance https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/strata/serving-on-a-committee/finances-insurance
15. NSW Legislation - Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-2015-050
General information disclaimer
This content is general educational and marketing information. It is not legal, bushfire, planning, building, arboricultural, emergency-management, insurance or other professional advice. Mapping, warnings, entitlement areas, legislation, council controls, approvals and building conditions can change. Each owners corporation and resident should check current official information and obtain advice appropriate to the property before acting.
