Weeds and mowing

Some reserves require multiple mowing machinery to complete the entire grass cutting task. During times of unseasonal grass growth, the coordination of the machinery for these activities can be affected, therefore a reserve may be partially maintained (ie mowed) and then a delay before the other machinery can get there to finish it off.

The frequency of mowing depends on the type of use of the grassed area.

Priority precincts
These are high use public reserves, such as Rotary Park, Market Square and memorial sites. They are generally irrigated and subject to high or medium use and are scheduled to be visited on a fortnightly basis throughout the year.

Medium profile
These are developed reserves away from main thoroughfares and have lower public use, such as Symonds Reserve, Tutu Wirra Reserve and Willunga Rose Garden reserve.

These reserves may be irrigated and may have playgrounds and fixtures. They are scheduled to be visited on a three weekly basis during the growth period from May to December. Intervention mowing occurs from January to April when grass growth reaches 100mm.

General / Natural areas
These are broad acre dry, non-irrigated, undeveloped, wooded and open land reserves, such as Frank Smith Park (sports ground excluded), Wilfred Taylor Reserve (dryland areas only) and Tangari Regional Park.

Features of a grassland reserve generally include creeks, wetlands, mixed/steep reserves, trails (linear parks), patches of native grass and revegetated areas. These are scheduled to be visited on a six weekly basis during the growth period from May to December. Intervention mowing occurs from January to April when grass growth reaches 100mm.

Sports grounds
Sports grounds are maintained for various sporting disciplines in our city to ensure safety, aesthetics, and prolong the life and condition of the facility. Maintenance frequency and intensity is largely influenced by usage patterns, sporting code and climatic seasonal changes. These are scheduled to be visited on a weekly basis during spring and summer and as necessary during winter and autumn and subject to change relating to seasonal/surface conditions.

Rural

Rural roadside mowing is performed on vegetation on accessible roadside verges outside of the designated Native Vegetation Roadside Marker System areas. Vegetation is systematically reduced to manage fuel loads, maintain sight lines and improve amenity and function. Rural roadside mowing commences in September each year (subject to seasonal variation). Several rounds of rural roadside mowing are undertaken annually, but as growth and risk are significantly influenced by climate and rainfall, the frequency of visitation may vary. 

Request reserve mowing

A road verge is the strip of council land between a property boundary and the adjacent roadway. They can have a number of important functions such as walkways around a community and providing remnant habitat for native species. Many services such as sewerage, power, phone, etc also run beneath them.

Verge maintenance is the responsibility of the property owner and all verge works must be undertaken in accordance with our Road Verge Landscaping Guidelines (PDF, 12MB)

Residents are required to seek council approval before planting any vegetation on the verge. Our staff can then work with you to ensure what is planted meets various compliances and is not removed at a later stage.

If a footpath has not been installed, residents must leave a 1.5m wide clearance for pedestrian access. 

Roadside and verge maintenance

Overgrown or overhanging vegetation

Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) roads

We receive many requests for maintenance work, including weed removal on DIT roads, such as Main South Road, Southern Expressway, Flagstaff Road, Happy Valley Drive, Black Road, Chandlers Hill Road, Commercial Road and Lonsdale Road, which are not council's responsibility. Please check the below list of all non council roads in our city, before submitting a request.

Non-council roads(PDF, 80KB)

To report any road hazards, weed clearance, signal faults (including removal of dead animals) or have a general enquiry, please contact DIT on: 

• General enquiries, train enquiries, planning enquiries and projects  1300 872 677
• Traffic hazards, weed clearance, signal faults and emergencies  1800 018 313

If you see weeds on any of our residential reserves, please notify us.

Lodge a request for weed removal

Caltrop (Tribulus terrestris)

Caltrop (Tribulus terrestris) is a flat, sprawling, annual herb with numerous green to reddish brown stems radiating from a crown. It is also known as Three Cornered Jack or Bindii. Each Caltrop plant can have hundreds of extremely sharp woody seed capsules, which can penetrate through tough barriers. Caltrop seed germinates from late spring and through the warmer summer period. New plants grow whenever we get significant rainfalls and it can take many years to control Caltrop as seeds can remain viable for up to 10 years.

Depending on the maturity of the plant, we will treat Caltrop on public land with herbicide or manually remove and dispose of by deep burial at a registered landfill. If you see any Caltrop weeds, please report to us.

Report Caltrop weeds

For more information on Caltrop please refer to the Natural Resources Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges fact sheet.

Boneseed (aka African Daisy or Bitou Bush)

Boneseed (aka African Daisy or Bitou Bush) was introduced to Australia as it seemed the perfect garden plant…drought hardy, tolerated poor soils and it even put on a flower show with masses of gorgeous, small, bright yellow daisy-like flowers.

Since then, it has been particularly aggressive in invading natural bushland. FYI – a single plant can produce up to 50,000 seeds that can persist in the soil for 10 years or more and these will germinate even after an area has been burnt.

Listed as a weed of national significance, it is regarded as one of the worst weeds in Australia because of its invasiveness, potential for spread, and environmental and economic impacts.

All landowners have a legal responsibility to control this plant where it occurs on their land. It is easy to spot at this time of year as it is flowering right now.

If you spot it on council land, please call 8384 0666 or email mail@onkaparinga.sa.gov.au

Download more information on Boneseed as s declared weed.

If you would prefer to not have weed spraying done on the verge in front of your house, you can request to be added to our Spray Free Zone register or alternatively, you can request to be removed from the register at any time.

Request to be added or removed from our Spray Free Zone register

Do you wish to report long grass and/or weeds?

Before reporting a fire hazard to us, please consider what the vegetation is. Vegetation which is green and actively growing is not considered a fire hazard until the vegetation is dead and no longer green.

If the vegetation is dead grass and/or weeds over 10cm high, you can complete the fire hazard report below.

Before you make a report, please see examples of what are genuine fire hazards and not fire hazards below.

Report a fire hazard

For more fire hazard information and fact sheets, visit the Department for Environment and Water website: About fire fuel behaviour and bushfire risk.

For more information visit our burning permits and fire management page.

Genuine fire hazard

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Not a fire hazard

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Snake sightings

In South Australia, snakes are a protected species. Under the National Parks and Wildlife Act it is an offence to kill or remove a snake from its environment, with fines of up to $10,000 and two-years’ imprisonment.

If you see a snake, contact a licensed snake catcher who will catch and remove the snake. Do not attempt to catch, remove or kill a snake yourself. 

For further information and advice, please visit Department for Environment and Water or our Pets and animals page. 

The City of Onkaparinga has a varying landscape from the coast to the hills face with an area of over 500 square kilometres. The varying landscape and topography create microclimates with varying temperatures and rainfall.

Councils role in grass cutting is important in reducing the risk of fire originating from its rural roadsides. Bushfire cannot be eliminated from the landscape, and there are circumstances when fire cannot be controlled, however council actively monitors growth and weather patterns (seasonal variation) for the most efficient roadside grass cutting program.

Grass curing rates is a process in which grass dies or becomes dormant. This is an important decision-making mechanism and used as an indicator of when we start our grass cutting programs. We monitor the curing rates across our Council area and commence slashing when the grass cures. We typically start the grass cutting to the south of our Council area as this area is drier and warmer, and finish in the norther areas where historically the temperatures are slightly cooler with higher moisture levels in the ground.