Safety & local rules
Last updated: 13 July 2026
Free firewood is great. A trip to hospital or a fine is not. Woodpile shows you
where wood is — the rest is on you. Please read this before you head out.
The short version
You are responsible for your own safety, your gear, and
for confirming you're actually allowed to take a pile. When in doubt, don't.
Chainsaw & roadside basics
- Wear the gear: helmet with face and hearing protection,
cut-resistant chaps or trousers, gloves, and sturdy boots.
- Don't cut alone, and tell someone where you are. Phone
signal dies in the hills.
- Mind kickback: keep the chain brake working, cut with the
correct part of the bar, and keep your body out of the cutting line.
- Logs are under tension: a fallen trunk can spring or roll
when cut. Read the load before you touch it.
- Roadsides are dangerous: hi-vis, park well off the road,
watch traffic, and never block a lane.
- Know your limits: if you haven't been trained on a
chainsaw, get someone who has. No pile is worth a finger.
- Fire risk: on days of Total Fire Ban, machinery use in the
open is restricted. Check CFA first.
Are you allowed to take it?
- Private land — only with the owner's permission. A pile
marked "Private OK" means the person who posted it says the owner agrees;
confirm it yourself if you can.
- Council / nature strips — rules vary by council and a lot
of roadside vegetation is protected. Check with the local council.
- State forests — only from designated firewood
collection areas, in season, within the limits below.
- National & state parks — taking firewood is
not allowed.
Victoria — firewood collection
Domestic firewood collection in Victoria is managed by
Forest Fire Management Victoria
(DEECA). As a general guide (always confirm the current figures and maps on the
official site):
- Collect only from designated collection areas in state
forests — not national/state parks, not random roadsides.
- Two seasons: roughly autumn (1 Mar – 30 Jun) and
spring (1 Sep – 30 Nov).
- Published limits are around 2 m³ per person per day and up
to 16 m³ per household per financial year — for personal use,
not for sale.
- Take fallen, dead wood from the ground. Don't fell trees or
take from habitat logs.
This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice, and
rules change season to season. The official designated-area maps and current
rules are at
ffm.vic.gov.au/firewood.
Report a problem
Something unsafe, dodgy, or not free to take? Use the Report
button on the pile in the app, or email
hello@woodpile.app.