Geraldton paving and retaining: a reference guide.

• Residential Design Codes (R-Codes): The State's planning and design requirements for residential development in Western Australia, with explanatory guidelines and practice notes. Your designer or the City may refer to them on a residential project.
• Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage: The State department responsible for planning, land and heritage, and a source of news on consultations such as draft R-Codes. Check here for changes to state planning rules.
• Find a registered building surveyor: The Building and Energy register of building surveying practitioners and contractors in Western Australia. Use it if a wall needs a certified permit application and you want to confirm who is issuing the certificate.
• Australian Institute of Building Surveyors: what is a building surveyor: A plain consumer guide from the profession's institute on what a building surveyor assesses. Read it if the term comes up in your permit paperwork.
• Australian Building Codes Board: The joint Commonwealth, state and territory body responsible for the National Construction Code. Start here for background on how national building rules are made.
• National Construction Code: Australia's primary set of technical design and construction provisions for buildings, published online. You may see it cited in a design or certificate for structural work.
• Standards Australia: The non-government, not-for-profit organisation behind Australian Standards, with a standards store for access to them. Go here if a design or quote cites a standard you want to read.

• Before You Dig Australia: for homeowners: A single place to request plans of underground networks at your address, with safety tips for homeowners. Lodge a free enquiry before excavating for a driveway, footing or wall.
• Western Power: Safety: Advice from the network operator on staying safe when working near its electricity network or around your home. Read it if machinery or a wall will be close to overhead or underground lines.
• Water Corporation: Building and renovating: Information on water meters, water services and sewer connections when you build or renovate. Check it if new paving or a wall will sit near your meter or sewer connection.
• Landgate: survey plans and documents: How to order the legal survey plans that exist for almost all land in Western Australia. Useful when a wall or path will run close to a boundary.
• Land Surveyors Licensing Board of Western Australia: Holds the register of licensed land surveyors in the state and deals with complaints against them. Use the register if you need a surveyor to confirm a boundary.
• Dividing fences guide: State guidance on how dividing fence rules work with local laws, including sample letters. It notes that building work involving boundary or retaining walls falls under building law, so read it if a neighbour's fence is affected.
• Model Code of Practice: Excavation work: Safe Work Australia's guidance on managing the risks of excavation, including trenches. It is written for those doing the work, so use it to understand the risks when asking how a trench or cut will be managed.
• GeoVIEW.WA: An interactive map from the Geological Survey of Western Australia showing state-wide geology and resources data. Use it for a general view of the geology around Geraldton. It does not replace a site assessment.
• Geological Survey of Western Australia: The state geological survey, which provides geoscientific data and information. Go here for maps and publications behind the GeoVIEW tool.
• Geoscience Australia: Education: The national geoscience agency's Earth science education resources. A plain starting point if you want to learn the terms used in geology reports.
• CSIRO: Soil and landscapes: An overview of CSIRO research on Australian soils and landscapes, focused on land use and natural resources. It is general background and gives no guidance for a particular block.
• Australian Geomechanics Society: A society for geotechnical work that publishes the Australian Geomechanics Journal and runs events, including in WA. Useful background if an engineer brings up a geotechnical report for your wall.

• Landscape Industries Association WA: The state association for landscape businesses, whose members are bound by its Code of Ethics and Values. Its site explains why it recommends hiring a member.
• Landscape Industries Association WA: Find A Professional: The association's member search, with categories for landscape builders and gardeners and a Midwest service area filter. Use it to see who it lists for this region.
• Concrete Masonry Association of Australia: Represents concrete masonry and segmental paving manufacturers in Australia. Start here to learn about concrete pavers and blocks.
• Concrete Masonry Association technical manuals: The association's library of manuals on paving, retaining structures and tolerances, with a login needed for downloads. Useful if you want the technical detail behind a concrete paver or block wall.
• Think Brick Australia: Represents clay brick and paver manufacturers in Australia. Read it for background on clay pavers and brick products.
• Think Brick technical manuals: Technical documents on clay masonry, including a Clay Paving Manual, with a login needed for downloads. Useful if you are weighing up clay pavers for a driveway or courtyard.
• Cement Concrete and Aggregates Australia: The industry body for the heavy construction materials sector. It is relevant if your job involves a concrete base, a slab or quarried road base.
• A Guide to Concrete Construction: The association's guide to concrete practice and specification. Read it if a concrete driveway or footing is part of the job.
• Concrete Institute of Australia: A concrete industry body that runs technical events on topics such as durability and shares industry news. Useful for reading about concrete durability.
• Australian Society for Concrete Pavements: An engineering society for concrete pavements that publishes forum papers and pavement notes, including for local government. It is mainly for road and public works, so use it as technical background.
• Australian Flexible Pavement Association: The peak body for the flexible pavements sector, with a member directory and training. Relevant if you are comparing asphalt with pavers for a long driveway.
• Civil Contractors Federation WA: The WA branch of the peak civil construction body, which also covers civil apprenticeships. Relevant to larger earthworks, drainage and road-edge work.
• Civil Contractors Federation: The national body for civil construction, with news and policy positions for the sector. Read it for a national view of the civil industry.
• Master Builders Western Australia: The state building industry association, offering advocacy, member advice and training courses. Relevant if paving is part of a larger build or renovation.
• Master Builders Australia: Describes itself as the national voice of building and construction. Read it for the national industry view.
• Housing Industry Association: A national residential building association whose site includes resources on building codes, Australian Standards and silica. Useful for background on home building work.
• Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia: The professional institute for public works and infrastructure, with education and resources for that sector. Relevant background for council crossovers and street drainage.
• Engineers Australia: National Engineering Register: A publicly searchable register of engineers run by the national engineering body. Use it when you are choosing someone to design a retaining wall.
• Australian Institute of Landscape Architects: The national institute for landscape architects, with awards and career information. Look here if a larger garden or site plan needs a landscape architect.
• Find a Master Plumber: A directory owned by the Master Plumbers and Gasfitters Association of Western Australia. Use it if new paving means moving pipes or connecting drainage.
• Irrigation Australia: The national organisation for irrigation, with training and certification. Relevant if retic lines cross a path or garden bed being paved.

• Building dispute resolution: Building and Energy's process for disputes about regulated building services and home building work contracts, offered as an alternative to court. Check the time limits early.
• Consumer Protection WA: consumer guarantees: Explains the guarantees on products and services under the Australian Consumer Law, and what sellers must do when they are not met. Read it before raising a defect.
• Consumer Protection WA: how to make a consumer complaint: Sets out the steps for a complaint, starting with checking your rights. Follow it if a direct approach to the business has not fixed the problem.
• WorkSafe WA: Silica: The WA regulator's pages on crystalline silica duties and managing dust exposure at work. Relevant if a job involves cutting concrete or similar products, which can create this dust.
• Safe Work Australia: Silica: National information on silica hazards at work. Read it alongside the WorkSafe WA page if you plan to cut pavers yourself or want to ask how a crew controls dust.
• ACCC: Consumer rights and guarantees: The national regulator's page on the basic rights a business must meet when it sells a product or service. Read it if paving work or materials were not as promised.

Do I need a building permit for a retaining wall in Geraldton?

The City of Greater Geraldton's BS12 sheet says a building permit is required where a proposed retaining wall is 500mm or greater in height, where it is an addition to an existing retaining wall, or where tiered walls exceed 500mm in total height. It also says development approval is required for retaining walls over 500mm and should be obtained before the building permit application.

Who is responsible for a retaining wall on a Geraldton boundary?

The City's BS12 sheet says the landowner who alters the natural lie of the land is responsible for retaining the soil where necessary. If both neighbours have changed the ground levels, they would be jointly responsible and may need to share the cost in proportion. Walls on a common boundary must sit entirely within one property.

Who builds and maintains a driveway crossover in Geraldton?

The City of Greater Geraldton says a crossover sits within the road reserve but is the property owner's responsibility to construct and maintain. The owner selects a contractor to build it to the City's specifications, and the City's guide says a crossover permit must be approved before construction starts.