Pool Removal and Rural Fire Setbacks in the Southern Highlands: What You Need to Know

The Southern Highlands has significant bushfire risk across many parts of Wingecarribee Shire, particularly in areas adjacent to Morton National Park, Bundanoon, the Bundanoon escarpment, Fitzroy Falls corridor, and properties near the Robertson escarpment. If your property falls within a bushfire-prone area or a Bush Fire Attack Level (BAL) zone, pool removal planning may need to account for these constraints.

Quick Answer (BLUF)

Bushfire and Rural Fire Service (RFS) setback requirements generally do not prevent pool removal, but they do affect:

• How the approval is processed (BAL-rated properties may have additional referral conditions)
• What can be done with the site after pool removal (landscaping within Asset Protection Zones has restrictions)
• Whether pool removal could inadvertently compromise the property’s bushfire protection measures (pools are sometimes used as static water supplies for firefighting)

If your property is in a BAL zone, confirm these considerations with your certifier before proceeding.

Bushfire-Prone Areas in the Southern Highlands

Wingecarribee Shire has a substantial proportion of its land in bushfire-prone areas. The NSW Rural Fire Service and Wingecarribee Shire Council maintain a Bushfire Prone Land Map that identifies which properties fall within these zones.

Key areas in Wingecarribee where bushfire prone land is common:

You can check whether your specific property is in a bushfire-prone area using the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) website or the Wingecarribee Shire mapping portal.

What is a BAL Rating?

A Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rating assesses the degree of risk to a structure from bushfire, expressed in six levels:

BAL ratings affect construction requirements for new buildings and major alterations. Pool removal is not typically a “BAL-listed” activity, the rating primarily applies to structures being built or significantly modified. However, if the pool removal is being approved via DA and the property has a BAL rating, the certifier or council may ask for confirmation that the removal works comply with any relevant conditions.

Asset Protection Zones (APZs) and Pool Removal

An Asset Protection Zone (APZ) is a buffer zone required around habitable structures in bushfire-prone areas. The APZ must be maintained with reduced fuel loads, mowed, managed vegetation that doesn’t allow fire to run quickly.

This has specific implications for what you can do with the pool site after removal:

Allowed in APZs:

• Lawn and mowed grass (ideal)
• Vegetable gardens (generally acceptable)
• Low-growing, non-combustible groundcovers
• Gravel or paving (excellent for APZ)

Restricted in APZs:

• Dense shrubs and tall grasses that provide fuel continuity
• Ornamental grasses and plants that dry out and carry fire
• Mulch directly against structures (use gravel mulch instead)
• Densely planted native gardens with eucalypt understorey

This matters for pool removal if you were planning to convert the pool site to a garden. In a Bundanoon property adjacent to the National Park, for example, a lush native garden in the APZ may not be appropriate, a mown lawn or low garden is a better outcome. See pool removal sustainable garden transformation for planting ideas that work within bushfire constraints.

Pools as Static Water Supplies: An Important Consideration

The NSW RFS and Fire and Rescue NSW both recognise that swimming pools can serve as static water supplies (SWS) during bushfire events. Rural and semi-rural properties with pools in bushfire zones sometimes have a formal or informal arrangement where the pool provides firefighting water.

Before removing a pool in a bushfire-prone area, consider:

1. Is the pool formally registered as a static water supply? Check with your local RFS brigade or the NSW Rural Fire Service. If so, removal may need to be discussed with the local brigade.

2. Is the pool practically the main water supply available to firefighters attending your property? In remote rural areas, this can be significant.

3. If you remove the pool, what replaces it? Options include:

   • Rainwater tanks (appropriate size for firefighting)
   • Property dam or bore with accessible pump point
   • A dedicated above-ground static tank

For most suburban Bundanoon or Robertson township properties, the pool isn’t the primary or sole firefighting water source, town water pressure is adequate. For remote rural blocks far from town water mains, the pool’s firefighting function is worth discussing with your local RFS brigade before removal.

Approval Implications: Bushfire Prone Land

When lodging a CDC or DA for pool removal in Wingecarribee Shire, if the property is identified on the Bushfire Prone Land map, the certifier may:

• Include a referral to the RFS as part of the approval process (for DAs)
• Apply conditions relating to site management during works (vegetation management, access for emergency vehicles)
• Request confirmation that the pool removal doesn’t compromise APZ functionality

For CDC-pathway approvals (the most common residential pathway), the referral to RFS isn’t typically required unless the project involves vegetation clearing above certain thresholds. Your certifier will advise.

Construction Site Access for Fire Vehicles

During pool removal works in a bushfire-prone area, the contractor’s vehicles will be on-site for 2-4 days. In a bushfire emergency during that window:

• Access for fire vehicles must not be obstructed
• Machinery and materials must not block access roads or driveway access
• Contractor should have fire safety awareness and an emergency plan

This is a standard construction site management consideration, not a unique pool removal requirement, but it’s worth being aware of in areas like Bundanoon where bushfire risk is higher.

What to Do if You’re Unsure About Your Property

If you’re uncertain whether your property falls in a bushfire-prone area and what the implications are:

1. Check the NSW Bushfire Prone Land map at the RFS website
2. Check Wingecarribee Shire Council’s mapping portal
3. Ask your private certifier to confirm the bushfire prone land status when they’re assessing your CDC/DA application

The Wingecarribee council pool removal guide covers the full approval process and which properties face referral conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does RFS approval delay my pool removal project in Bundanoon? For a standard residential CDC pathway, RFS referral isn’t typically required. For a DA pathway (heritage property, significant vegetation), an RFS referral may add 4-8 weeks to the approval process.

Can I remove my pool if it’s listed as a static water supply for the RFS? If the pool is formally registered as a SWS, discuss with your local RFS brigade before removing it. In most cases, removal is possible but the brigade may ask you to establish an alternative water supply (tank, dam access point).

Does a pool help protect my house from bushfire? A pool provides a water source but doesn’t provide significant structural protection from bushfire. APZ management (vegetation reduction) is far more effective than pool presence.

What garden can I plant in the APZ after pool removal in Bundanoon? Low-growing, non-combustible plants are ideal in the APZ: lawn, low perennials, succulents, stone mulch gardens. Dense native gardens with dry-leaf litter should be kept outside the APZ.

Do I need to tell the RFS I’m removing my pool? No, pool removal doesn’t require notification to the RFS unless the pool is formally registered as a static water supply. Your council approval process will flag any referral requirements.

For pool removal on bushfire-prone land in the Southern Highlands, contact Southern Highlands Pool Removals for a site inspection that considers your specific location and conditions.