Roadside vegetation ignored over summer

State Member for Eildon Cindy McLeish is pushing for action to maintain roadside vegetation in Yarra Ranges, Nillumbik, Murrindindi and Mansfield Shires.

Ms McLeish wrote to the Minister for Roads in November 2019 after being contacted by concerned residents about the overgrown grass lining our roads during the summer season.

Disappointingly, the Minister did not respond to these concerns for 10 weeks.

Ms McLeish said, “I was shocked to see the length of the grass, not only surrounding our rural roads but residential roads too. Worried residents reported grass so overgrown you could not see approaching vehicles.”

“It was particularly bad on Maroondah Highway. This is the gateway to the Yarra Valley. It’s an area we take pride in and it is upsetting to display this awful sight of weeds and overgrowth to tourists.”

The Department of Transport (DoT) is responsible for mowing maintenance along these roads, however not enough is being done to ensure grass lengths remain low.

“This was a critical time to ensure mowing was done regularly to prevent overgrowth from happening. It is dangerous to let grass grow unruly, especially during the height of summer fire season. The lack of visibility while driving is also incredibly dangerous.”

“It’s not good enough that the Minister waited 10 weeks to respond to this important concern. The Minister and DoT need to regulate grass growth and increase mowing works,” Ms McLeish concludes.