Firebreaks & Access Track Clearing
Clear, usable firebreaks and access tracks are life-safety infrastructure — not optional maintenance. We create and maintain fuel breaks and emergency access routes across properties in the Surf Coast, Otways, and Geelong region.
What a Proper Firebreak Involves
A firebreak is a cleared strip that reduces the fuel available to carry fire towards buildings or the property boundary. The CFA typically specifies minimum widths for fuel breaks on private property — commonly 3 metres for basic tracks, and wider for strategic fuel breaks adjacent to public land or community infrastructure. Your local CFA or council planning department can advise on what applies to your specific property.
A firebreak isn't just about width. It needs to be cleared to a height that prevents flames or radiant heat from jumping across. For forestry mulching, that means removing scrub, blackberry, low branches, and dense undergrowth along the break — leaving larger trees in place where they don't create a continuous fuel ladder from ground level to canopy.
Many rural properties also have internal access tracks that haven't been maintained in years. Overgrown tracks are a significant fire risk — not just as fuel, but because they prevent emergency vehicles from accessing buildings and water sources. We clear and widen these tracks as part of a property's broader fire preparation.
Working on Difficult Terrain
Most properties in the Surf Coast and Otways are not flat. Firebreaks often need to run along ridgelines, gully edges, or slopes where standard equipment can't safely operate. Our Kubota SVL95-2 with Fecon mulcher head uses a tracked undercarriage with good stability on moderate slopes. We assess each site individually and will be upfront about what terrain is safely accessible.
On very steep or unstable ground, we may recommend a partial approach — clearing where the machine can safely go, and leaving the most extreme sections to hand tools or noting the limitation in the documentation we provide. Safety always comes first.
Key Benefits
- Creates defensible space between vegetation and buildings
- Maintains emergency vehicle access across your property
- Meets CFA requirements for strategic fuel breaks
- Works on sloped and difficult terrain the machine can safely access
- Selective clearing — retains significant trees where requested
- Before and after photos + written confirmation provided
- Annual maintenance plans available to keep breaks clear
Documentation We Provide
Ideal For
No Area Left Unfinished
Not every corner of a property is accessible by machine. Where the mulcher can't reach, we carry chainsaw and brushcutter to make sure the full job gets done. Fence lines, steep banks, tight spots near structures — nothing gets left half finished because the machine couldn't fit.
Get a free quote
Free, no-obligation quotes. We aim to respond within 24–48 hours.