Grass fuels safety fear

INVERLEIGH LOCALS say a council-managed block with head-high grass is putting their safety at risk.

Resident Andrea Bolton, pictured, said Golden Plains Shire’s failure to cut the grass on the three-acre Common Rd block for more than six months had created a fire risk.

“This is an enormous fire risk with people driving past continually hurling empty beer bottles, cans and cigarette butts into this grass,” Ms Bolton said.

“No matter how well my neighbours and I keep our properties, this land continues to jeopardise our safety year in, year out.”

Ms Bolton, in remission after a battle with cancer, said ambulances have difficulty finding her driveway due to the long grass, which has grown taller than 1.6 metres, obstructing the view from the road.

“The council has one set of standards for us and a completely different set for themselves,” she said.

“They seem to have no problem beautifying areas out here to attract the tourists, yet continually wipe their hands of caring for the safety of the residents here.”

The block has sat vacant for many years after it was once used by council to stockpile road building materials to minimise haulage costs.

When contacted by the Geelong Advertiser, Golden Plains Shire chief executive Rod Nicholls said the block would be slashed “this week”.

“The road verge has been previously cut to a width of 15m — far in excess of our normal roadside cutting program,” Mr Nicholls said.

“The grass at this location does not constitute a fire hazard to surrounding properties as they have sufficient separation distance between the grass and their property.”

He said the block’s uneven ground made it difficult to cut.

“Clean up of the site to allow full cutting fence to fence will alleviate this issue in the future.”

Mr Nicholls said the block was slashed in the lead-up to last year’s fire season and was scheduled to be cut twice a year.

He said council would begin to hand out fire prevention notices asking residents to cut grass early next month.