If you've ever put a sign up on public land pointing people to your roadside stall - whether you're selling honey, eggs, horse poo or jam - you were probably breaking the law.
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That's if you live in what is deemed a residential area, rather than rural.
So what - you might ask - about all the other signs clogging up our street corners, most particularly the real estate open house signs that turn up every weekend in most parts of Australia?
Well, they're not permitted either, as it happens. At least in NSW.
This is what Hamish Ta-Mé, marmalade connoisseur and accomplished jam-maker, discovered in the course of last weekend, after he was asked by a Wingecarribee Shire Council ranger to remove his 'local jam' sign from the corner of his Bowral street.
"It was the fourth weekend I'd had it up," said Mr Ta-Mé, who had started making jam from friends' produce during lockdown, and found himself with a pantry full of jars.
So he popped a snazzed up old beehive on his front fence, wrote some price tags, then erected the handmade sign on the corner of Oxley Drive (where he lives) and Mittagong Road.
"It was there with eight or nine real estate signs for open houses," he said.
"On Sunday, a ranger came to the house, told us there had been two complaints about the sign, and said I had to take it down, that I couldn't have it on public land.
"The complaints said it was a 'distraction' and deemed it 'advertising'.
"I said I'd take it down, of course, but, just as a matter of interest, do the real estate signs have to go?"
The ranger reportedly told him that they fell under different rules.
So Mr Ta-Mé asked to see the relevant legislation, which the ranger duly sent him.
"I discovered there was no exemption for real estate agents!" he said.
"And all the other signs - horse poo, open gardens, garage sales - they're not allowed either."
This may be news to many, but Wingecarribee Shire Council confirms the situation, adding that when council receives a complaint, it is required to act on it.
A council spokesperson said the incident began when a complainant suggested Mr Ta-Mé's sign was affecting the safety of cars turning into Mittagong Road.
"Once a complaint is received council is obliged to investigate the validity of the complaint," said the council spokesperson.
"The man in question agreed to remove the signage. He was not fined.
"We find that in most cases when people are made aware of the error, much like the man in question, they will remove the signage and an infringement isn't necessary.
"It's important to note that different restrictions apply to different areas of the shire.
"The man selling the jams resides in a residential area.
"The use of signage in these areas differs to true farm gate operators living in rural areas.
"Similar restrictions exist for temporary real estate agents (signs).
"Certain signs are permissible on the property to be sold, however, multiple directional signs (arrows) directing traffic to a property may not be permissible.
"When council receives complaints about these we also act."
Mr Ta-Mé was happy to comply with the ranger's request, but has questioned the inconsistency in the policing of the law.
"I'm not arguing I should have my sign up - it's patently not allowed," he said.
"But they should enforce the rules equally."
He also believes the NSW legislation should ultimately be changed to accommodate what are effectively low-key, cottage industries.
"People love the idea, in a semi-rural setting like ours, that you can find local produce like this," he said.
The community agrees, it seems. Mr Ta-Mé raised the matter in a local Facebook group and the post garnered 300 comments in 48 hours.
"One of the things I love most about our rural community is the roadside food sellers and this is really disappointing," wrote Kylie Greffenius, in a sentiment echoed by many others.
Mr Ta-Mé said he bore council no ill will, and recognised staff members are merely carrying out state law.
"In any case, that ranger has achieved more publicity (for the jams) than anything else!" he said.
A link to the NSW legislation relating to advertisements can be found at www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/epi-2001-0199.
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