Fairy grass is blocking up Cobb Haven residents’ gardens and driveways. Photos: Aidan Briggs.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
Residents at Moama’s Cobb Haven land lease community are concerned by fairy, or umbrella, grass blowing into their properties.
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Creating tumbleweeds, the grass is clogging backyards, driveways and roads.
“We all woke up to it,” resident Ann Lynch said.
“It comes in from the paddock which is right (outside) and has not been slashed at all for at least a couple of years.
“We are disgusted.”
Residents, as well as Cobb Haven owner Hometown Australia have been in contact with Murray River Council to raise the issue of grass blowing from neighbouring properties.
In communications with council, Mrs Lynch has been told that the landowners in question have been contacted with warnings to slash their paddocks, particularly as overgrown grass also presents a fire hazard risk.
“Council acknowledges the concerns raised by residents of Cobb Haven regarding fairy grass blowing onto their properties and has been in regular communication with affected residents,” a spokesperson for Murray River Council said.
“During the current fire hazard prevention period, council has issued notices to neighbouring properties with overgrown paddocks or grass, requiring them to slash and maintain their land by a specified date to reduce fire risks.
“However, for properties that are already properly maintained, but still have fairy grass present, council is unable to enter private properties to remove it.
“Fairy grass is a naturally occurring, widespread native plant that often blows in from various locations during this time of year, making it challenging to control.”
Issues impacting private properties are expected to be dealt with by residents, like the tumbleweeds blowing in, rather than Hometown Australia staff.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
While Hometown Australia staff is able to remove the grass from common areas, residents need to maintain any spaces on their private property.
“Hometown Australia are responsible for maintaining communal areas within the community and as such have regularly conducted perimeter inspections to ensure timely clean up and maintenance duties are actioned daily,” Hometown Australia asset manager Jozef Sirec said.
“As per homeowner site agreements, it is the homeowner's responsibility to maintain their site.
“Notwithstanding, the onsite management team had discussed options of assisting affected residents by forming a ‘working bee’ initiative.
“However, in the spirit of community living, we were informed the residents had already formed their own group to assist each other.”
With many of the residents in the 198-home community being in their 70s and 80s, Mrs Lynch does not believe it is fair for them to be expected to take on the task of managing the grass.
She also said that when raising concerns to management, it was suggested the residents could hire gardeners to take care of the issue if unable to themselves.
“We’re in our 70s to 80s,” Mrs Lynch said.
“We’ve all (cleared) it ourselves, it took me two days.
“$800 to $900 a month we pay to be on this land ... we’re paying a lot of money.”
Hometown Australia said it would maintain contact with Murray River Council and the community residents.
“Hometown will continue to work with local council to minimise impact on the community and our homeowners,” Mr Sirec said.
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