Dividing Fences Act 1991 (NSW)

Dividing Fences Act 1991 No 72

An Act to provide for the apportionment of the cost of dividing fences; to repeal the Dividing Fences Act 1951; and to amend certain other Acts.

Part 1 Preliminary

1 Name of Act This Act may be cited as the Dividing Fences Act 1991.

2 Commencement This Act commences on a day or days to be appointed by proclamation.

3 Definitions In this Act: adjoining owners means the owners of land on either side of a common boundary. dividing fence means a fence separating the land of adjoining owners, whether on the common boundary of adjoining lands or on a line other than the common boundary. fence means a structure, ditch or embankment, or a hedge or similar vegetative barrier, enclosing or bounding land, whether or not continuous or extending along the whole of the boundary separating the land of adjoining owners, and includes: (a) any gate, cattlegrid or apparatus necessary for the operation of the fence, and (b) any natural or artificial watercourse which separates the land of adjoining owners, and (c) any foundation or support necessary for the support and maintenance of the fence, but does not include a retaining wall (except as provided by paragraph (c)) or a wall which is part of a house, garage or other building. fencing work means: (a) the design, construction, replacement, repair or maintenance of the whole or part of a dividing fence, and (b) the surveying or preparation of land (including the trimming, lopping or removal of vegetation) along or on either side of the common boundary of adjoining lands for such a purpose, and includes: (c) the planting, replanting and maintenance of a hedge or similar vegetative barrier, and (d) the cleaning, deepening, enlargement or alteration of a ditch, embankment or watercourse that serves as a dividing fence. lease includes a sublease and an agreement for a lease. owner includes: (a) any person who jointly or severally (whether at law or in equity) is entitled to land for any estate of freehold in possession or who receives or is entitled to receive any rents and profits of the land, whether as beneficial owner, trustee, mortgagee in possession or otherwise, and (b) any person who is the holder of a lease (the unexpired term of which is not less than 5 years) when a notice to carry out fencing work in accordance with this Act is given by, or served on, that person, and (c) any Crown land manager of Crown managed land (within the meaning of the Crown Land Management Act 2016).