Council's Community Local Law No.1 2019 requires property owners and occupiers to maintain their properties (especially vacant land) throughout the year to make sure it does not become unsightly, constitute a danger to health or property, or be a haven for noxious weeds or pest animals.
An unsightly property is defined as "any land which is unkempt and is detrimental to the general amenity of the neighbourhood, when viewed from a public place."
Land may be considered by Council to be unsightly if, among other things, it contains:
- uncontained rubbish;
- native and non-native grass, noxious weeds, weeds and undergrowth which exceed a height of 150mm;
- disused excavations or waste material;
- graffiti on any building, structure or boundary fence;
- disused machinery, unregistered vehicles, machinery or vehicle parts; or
- any other condition that is detrimental to the general amenity of the neighbourhood in which it is located.
You can report an unsightly property via any of the following methods:
What happens next?
We will inspect any properties that are reported as unsightly and take necessary action.
Long grass during the summer months
Reports of unsightly land which relate to long grass can be reported as a fire hazard during the summer months.
Our Municipal Fire Prevention Officer does proactive inspections through the weeks leading up to summer and right throughout the summer period. Properties that are identified as a risk will receive a fire prevention notice advising they must clean up the property.
Failure to clean up within the specified timeframe will result in council organising for the property to be slashed and associated fees and fines may be issued to the property owner.