Weekly urban mowing schedule

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Our mowing teams of approximately 22 staff maintain more than 385 open space areas across our region. This includes parks, reserves, sports fields, cemeteries, buffer zones, natural areas and roadsides.

Maintaining these spaces is a constant challenge, and there are many factors that contribute to our scheduling process. These factors include:

  • Level of use
  • Regional and local significance
  • Location
  • Growing conditions
  • Weather and storm events
  • Preparation for community events
  • Resource availability
  • Flexibility due to emergencies or competing priorities
  • Other environmental factors.

Weekly mowing schedule

Schedule for the week commencing Monday, 16 September 2024.

 Location Scheduled Areas
 Wauchope  Winter Works Program
 Camden Haven                            Winter Works Program
 Port Macquarie Winter Works Program
 Sports Fields

 


Port Macquarie

Regional Stadium

Oxley Oval

Wayne Richards Park

Stuarts Park   

Wauchope

Andrews Park

Landrigan Park

Blackbutt Oval

Lank Bain Complex

Fairmont Park

Sancrox Reserve

Charlie Watt Oval

Camden Haven 

Rainbow Beach Sportsfields

Laurieton Sportsfields  

Kendall Sportsfields

Roadside mowing schedule

Roadsides mowing addresses the grass on the shoulders along major rural sealed roads which is slashed once a year. As a general guide, the slashing program occurs as follows:

Month Location
January & February
  • King Creek
  • Laurieton
  • Bonny Hills
  • Lake Cathie
  • Port Macquarie
March, April & May
  • Telegraph Point
  • Rollands Plains
  • Beechwood
June
  • Bellangry
  • Pappinbarra
July & August
  • Long Flat
  • Byabarra
  • Comboyne
November & December
  • Lorne
  • Kendall
Outreach bank mowing to reduce vegetation close to travel lanes on rural roads is done on a 5 year cycle.

How the program is prioritised

As a general rule, we use a hierarchy-based approach to set our mowing program. We also look at event bookings for community spaces to ensure our maintenance works are aligned where possible.

Regional parks and reserves - those high use or highly visible areas with significant playgrounds or facilities, are mowed approximately every 10 days during the growing season.  Examples include: Town Green Reserve, Westport Reserve, Rainbow Beach Reserve, Wayne Richards Park, Regional Sports Stadium.

District parks and reserves are usually in or nearby towns and have a moderate level of use or visibility. They may have some form of play equipment, parking, amenities, seating and landscaping. These areas are mowed approximately every 3-6 weeks during growing season or more often if inspections trigger it.   Examples include: McInherney Park, Rocks Ferry Reserve, Pilot Beach Reserve.

Local parks and reserves are those within a residential neighbourhood. They can be small or large but generally have basic play equipment, seating and landscaping. These areas are mowed on an 8 week schedule or more often if inspections trigger it.  Examples include: Henry Kendall Reserve, Herons Creek Reserve, Boom Reserve, Old Park.

In addition to parks, reserves and sports fields, we also mow:

Link / Buffer areas - These areas include asset protection zones (open spaces between property or bush land) and other multi-purpose areas that may have some level of recreational infrastructure. This community land (over 100 sites) is mowed or slashed on average 4 times a year.

Natural areas - There are more than 50 of these areas that are mostly bush land. They are mowed on average twice a year.

Council does not mow residential footpaths - Property owners and residents are responsible for mowing the grassed areas in front of private, commercial or industrial property. Council relies on the goodwill of residents to maintain these areas so ratepayer funds can be directed towards other community services.