Council’s plan to impose grass height limit angers locals in regional Victoria

A council in Victoria’s south-east has conceded a proposed local law to limit grass growth to 30 centimetres needs to be re-worded to make farmland exempt.

South Gippsland Shire Council is reviewing its general local laws, which are due to expire in April.

One of the ideas on the table is to make landowners keep their grass and vegetation down to at least 30cm in height. 

The draft laws also state property owners cannot have unconstrained rubbish or waste, and conditions on properties must not promote vermin breeding. 

Dairy Farmers Victoria committee member Benjamin Vagg said there was a lot of confusion about the restrictions and where they were being implemented.

“We need some clarity around where these laws are actually being implemented — are they out in the CBD of our townships or are they across the whole shire?” he said.

“My main concern is with the fodder conservation … we grow a lot of summer crops and we also grow a lot of crops for silage — we’ve got to allow our fodder to grow above 30 centimetres.

“It’s an animal welfare strategy to conserve our forages and being limited to 30cm is just not feasible.”

Mr Vagg is in the process of submitting feedback on behalf of several farmers as part of the community consultation process.

Rule not applicable to pasture, hay

Mayor Nathan Hersey said the clause was not intended to restrict the growth of feed, fodder, or hay, and the council had since updated its website to reflect that.

“People love to sensationalise things and jump on board with something to make it look like it’s more ridiculous than it is,” he said.

“Council has heard very loud and clear that the wording needs to be tightened up, and that’s exactly why we go out to these rounds of consultation.

“But it’s not the intention to stop farmers from growing feed.”

Mr Hersey said the 30cm restriction would apply to any property not being used for agricultural purposes.

“Just because a property is in an agricultural zone — doesn’t mean that it’s being used for agricultural purposes,” he said.  

“What we’re seeing in South Gippsland more and more, is people coming from other parts of Melbourne or other areas and buying up large parcels of land and letting that become a major fire risk.”

South Gippsland Councillor Scott Rae is a beef, sheep and timber farmer.

He said more needed to be done to delineate between rural and township areas in the draft.

“There’s certain things that happen in a residential area or township setting that would be considered unacceptable, but are quite normal in a farm zone,” he said.

“Agriculture makes noise … cows moo, cows poo and animals smell.

“I’m sure there will be amendments coming … there’s been quite a lot of feedback about the length of grass anywhere within the shire that hadn’t delineated between agriculture and a township setting.”

Community feedback has been extended until November 9.