What is the verge?

    A. The Verge refers to the strip of land between the road and your property (usually after the property’s letterbox). The verge is part of the road reserve which houses underground public utility services such as gas, water, sewage, electricity and telecommunications. The verge may also contain a footpath to provide safe pedestrian access.

    What is verge maintenance?

    In the City of Kalamunda, verge maintenance consists of weed control and grass slashing to remove pest plants and reduce fuel loading. Grass cutting is intended as a grass reduction service (not lawn mowing service) so verge grass is cut to a height of 80 millimetres.

    Who maintains verges?

    Verges are generally maintained by the property owner living adjacent to the verge. Many householders prefer to manage their own verge if they desire to maintain it to a higher standard that the grass slashing service provided. This may involve mowing the lawn to match their lawn, or planting their own plants (provided they do not obstruct visibility and access for pedestrians and vehicles).

    The City does currently provide a service of slashing unmaintained verges once a year, on a programmed basis.

    When does verge maintenance occur?

    Grass slashing is rolled out City wide once a year. Generally this may occur during October/November or March/April. However depending on external factors such as the weather and contractor availability, the programme may vary from year to year.

    Why is verge maintenance important?

    As verges generally contain footpaths, and provide pedestrian and vehicle access to properties, it is important to ensure that verges are not overgrown and impede on visibility and access for anyone using the footpaths or adjacent roads. In addition, grass slashing is important to reduce the fuel load in bushfire prone areas.

    Can I plant on my verge?

    The City of Kalamunda encourages and supports residents who wish to maintain their own verge. The City holds two Free Plants for Residents Events which enables residents to claim a number of free plants to support the establishment of natural habitats in verges and backyards across the City.

    To ensure visibility and access, verge treatments should adhere to some conditions, these include:

    • Plants should be clear of services and City infrastructure (ie. not obstructing access to utilities)
    • Synthetic turf is not permitted
    • Vegetation should be native drought tolerant species with low fertiliser requirements
    • No weed and pest species, or thorny species are permitted
    • Vegetation should be trimmed away from the path for clear access and kept low (maximum 50 centimetres) near vehicle access ways or corners to retain sightlines
    • Trees must be of a species approved by the City

    For more information please refer to our Landscaping Verge Conditions Information Sheet.

    Where can I report verges that need maintenance?

    If you spot any verges that pose an access or visibility hazard (ie. vehicles cannot get a clear sightline when driving on the adjacent road or pedestrians cannot safely walk), please contact the Verge Maintenance Team on (08) 9257 9999.

    Please note that the City cannot undertake grass slashing on demand due to the large number of serviceable properties within the City. If you are seeking an update on where your property may be scheduled in the programme, please contact the Verge Maintenance Team on (08) 9257 9999.

    What is the purpose of this survey?

    Previous feedback from the community indicates that verge maintenance is valued by residents. The purpose of this survey is to understand how the community feels about the current level of service provided for verge maintenance and determine satisfaction levels.

    This feedback will help the City gauge which aspects of the programme can be improved and guide the development of future verge maintenance schedules.

    How can I provide feedback?

    The City of Kalamunda is encouraging residents to have their say:

    Online:  engage.kalamunda.wa.gov.au

    Hard copies are available from City Administration (2 Railway Road, Kalamunda), and at any of our City libraries and recreation centres.

    Alternative to the survey, written submissions can be submitted:

    By Post:   City of Kalamunda, PO Box 42, Kalamunda WA 6926
    In Person:   2 Railway Road, Kalamunda WA 6076

    By Email:   enquiries@kalamunda.wa.gov.au

    The public comment period closes on 30 September 2019.

    Where can I get more information?

    For more information contact the City of Kalamunda on (08) 9257 9999.

    We will also keep you informed through website updates, with notices at all library facilities and by telephone or face to face conversations if that is your preferred method of communication. Please let us know.