What does a pool fence site plan need to show?

The barrier: the whole fenced enclosure around the pool, its gates and their swing, its heights, and how the house and the boundary fences relate to it. Every state sets pool barrier rules, and the site plan is where the layout gets checked before anyone stands in the yard with a clipboard.

To check a particular block, type its address into RapidSiteplan: it reads the lot and the rules that apply there and checks the pool and barrier you place against them, in minutes.

What does the plan have to show?

The barrier line: the complete fenced enclosure around the pool, drawn with its position relative to the pool edge and the boundaries
Gates, marked with position and swing. Self-closing, self-latching, and opening away from the pool
Barrier heights, noted the way the barrier standard your state applies measures them
The house, because windows and doors that open into the pool area have their own rules
The clear zones beside the barrier, where nothing climbable can stand

Which rules does the barrier have to meet?

Your state's. Most states build their pool barrier rules on the Australian Standard for pool barriers, AS 1926.1, Queensland has its own pool safety standard, and the edition in force differs between states. Your certifier or pool inspector checks the barrier against the rules that apply where you live.

Why draw the barrier before building?

Moving a fence after a failed inspection is expensive. Draw the barrier on a true-scale site plan first and you can see straight away whether the layout works: does the gate clear the path, can the boundary fence form part of the barrier, what are the distances really?

Can the boundary fence be part of the pool barrier?

Often, if it meets the barrier rules, including its height and the clear zones beside it. A boundary fence has a neighbour's side as well, so check with your certifier or pool inspector before you rely on it.

What only your address can answer

which state's barrier rules apply, and whether the pool has to be registered there
where your boundaries run, and any easement or sewer line near the pool
which overlays your council has mapped over the block
how far the pool and its barrier sit from each boundary

RapidSiteplan reads your own block from its address: the boundaries, the buildings already on it, the rules that apply there and any overlay or easement, and checks what you plan to build against them on a scaled site plan.

The post on spa approval covers spas and the barrier around them.

Search your address to start. Site plans and assessments in minutes.

Common questions

What are the pool fence regulations in Australia? Each state sets its own pool barrier rules, and most build them on the Australian Standard for pool barriers, AS 1926.1, while Queensland has its own pool safety standard. They cover the barrier’s height, the clear zones beside it where nothing climbable can stand, and gates that self-close and self-latch. The edition in force differs between states, so check with your council or certifier.

Do I need council approval for a pool? Almost always. In most states a swimming pool and its barrier need building approval, and the barrier is usually inspected as part of it. Some states also keep a register of pools. Check with your certifier or council before the pool goes in.

Do I need council approval for an above ground pool? Often, yes. Many above-ground and inflatable pools are deep enough to count as a swimming pool under state law, and that brings in the barrier rules and usually building approval. The depth that triggers it is set in state law, so check with your council or certifier before it goes up.