Island residents’ battle to keep from being overgrown

A war widow has joined a chorus of residents who just want one thing — someone to mow the lawn before their home becomes a jungle.

Russell Island residents are fed up with overgrown blocks as well as other issues like rubbish dumping.

A WAR widow living next door to overgrown vacant blocks says the land has been so poorly maintained it has become a breeding ground for brown snakes but she can’t find help to fix it.

Jan Schut said owners of the property next door to her Russell Island home left their block virtually unattended.

Russell Island resident Jan Schut says overgrown blocks around her home are a fire risk, but she has had significant trouble getting someone to clear the mess.

She said the tall grass and saplings on the property made a prime hiding place for snakes, having spotted three brown snakes and a python.

Mrs Schut’s home is one of many in the region bordered by vacant blocks — in her case, the private block as well as two vacant Redland City Council blocks.

She said while snakes were a worry, it was the fire hazard that was really concerning.

“When we had the fires a few years ago the fire was only two streets away.

“My husband was still alive then.

“I don’t know how I’d cope if we had one now.”

She said her problem was that her husband, who passed away almost a year ago, used to poison the grass growing down the side of their fence.

Russell Island local Jan Schut said she has had incredible difficulty ensuring blocks bordering her home were kept clear to reduce fire risks and the presence of snakes close to her house.

“When he died I couldn’t managed it because the council blocks on the other side of my house were the only ones I could manage because the grass and weeds were shorter.”

“So now I’m left with the private block and the grass seeds blowing into my garden.

“The weeds, seeds and dandelions continually spread through my fence and I just can’t keep up with the weeding as I’m in my 70s and have a bad back.”

Mrs Schut said she had contacted the council about the block but had had little help getting it cleared.

She is one of more than 250 members of a Facebook group dedicated to this kind of issue on the Southern Moreton Bay Islands, which are covered in blocks snapped up but yet to be developed.

A string of residents have used the Redland City Council Vegetation Neglect — Southern Moreton Bay Islands Facebook group to highlight problems with overgrown or unmaintained properties on the residential islands.

Russell Island local Jan Schut and other Russell Island residents say they are struggling to have vacant blocks kept maintained.

Everything from abandoned cars, to dumped rubbish has been pinpointed on the group but the main issue remains the need for more vegetation management.

Division 5 Councillor Mark Edwards said he had requested that council officers assess all of the all three blocks.

“Due to this current pandemic... unless it’s absolutely necessary, council officers haven’t been going out there,” Mr Edwards said.

He said if the private block was deemed to be too overgrown the council could issue owners with a 30-day notice to clear it.

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According to the council, property owners are required to maintain their land from “an overgrown and unsightly perspective as well as a fire hazard”.

A council spokeswoman said if complaints were received, the council “engages with landowners in the first instance to seek voluntary compliance and to encourage engaging a private mowing contractor to maintain the land on a regular basis”.

“However, should an issue persist, council takes action to remediate risks, with the property owner invoiced for works undertaken.”