Parks and Gardens
Council manages many parks and gardens in the townships of Warragul, Drouin, Trafalgar, Erica, Drouin East, Neerim South, Thorpdale, Yarragon, Rawson, Noojee, Neerim, Neerim Junction, Willow Grove, Darnum, Nilma and Longwarry.
If you have an area of concern regarding a park or garden complete a maintence request form located in the related information panel on this page.
Gardens and Playgrounds
Council maintains:
- Street planter boxes, pots and tubs.
- Roundabouts (maintained in accordance with VicRoads guidelines for traffic management).
- Garden beds on public reserves.
- Landscape structures in urban parks.
- Playgrounds, seats, rotundas and pathways.
- All playgrounds have monthly safety checks.
Council also undertakes mulching and planting areas under large trees to retain moisture and reduce mowing.
The Council maintains:
- Council-managed ovals, including the Geoff Watt Track, Drouin Recreation Reserve, Bellbird Park, Logan Park, Eastern Park and Western Park.
- Median strips in townships.
- On average grassed areas are cut every two weeks.
Lakes, ponds, wetlands and waterways are maintained in conjunction with the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority and Melbourne Water, to help reduce erosion and the spread of weeds whilst ensuring adequate flow.
Council services include:
- Maintenance and pruning of any trees in parks, or on roadsides within a town.
- Powerline clearance in Warragul and Drouin. All other areas are the responsibility of SP Ausnet.
- Street tree and general planting will occur in the cooler months of April to September, except for special circumstances.
Residents can prune existing trees or plant new trees on their nature strip with written permission from the Council.
Council staff complete cleaning and maintenance tasks in towns including:
- Public toilet cleaning and maintenance.
- Street sweeping.
- Emptying public litter bins in towns and park areas.
- Cleaning barbecues.
- Installation and maintenance of bus shelters – urban and rural.
- Maintaining urban drainage including storm water pit lids.
- Installation and maintenance of street furniture and signs.
- Footpath/kerb and channel maintenance.
- Fire plug maintenance – urban and rural.
- Christmas decorations.
Council maintains bushland reserves, wetlands and rural walking tracks throughout the shire including:
- Noxious weed control.
- Track maintenance.
- Installation and maintenance of signs and park furniture.
- Native tree and shrub planting.
- Community information days.
Baw Baw Shire Council has adopted a Pest Plant and Animal Chemical Policy that prescribes a ‘least harm’ approach with regard to chemical management and in particular prescribes;
- The chemicals used are the least toxic and environmentally friendly, so far as reasonably practical and;
- Chemical applications will be applied in line with ‘best’ industry standards and procedures
Council also implements safe work practices designed to avoid any exposure to harmful substances which include strict adherence to the applicable Safety Data Sheet of any chemical encountered and the use of the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment. We take our obligations to our employees’ health and safety very seriously and actively employ a best practice approach to chemical use and management.
All Council employees that use chemicals in the course of their employment complete the AgVet Chemical Users Course to ensure they have accredited safe handling skills.
Public safety is absolutely paramount and we do not undertake spraying when public are present. We provide public notification for roadside spraying of noxious weeds, and signage is displayed when undertaking spraying activities in public spaces.
Council has additionally undertaken the following activities:
- Established a working group to consider the use of chemicals and inform best practice in reducing chemical use in urban maintenance activities
- Trialled organic herbicides as alternatives to glyphosate
- Trialled the use of alternate weed control such as flame burners
Council is committed to ongoing monitoring of chemical use as it pertains to pest plant and animal management and will provide the community updates as our activities progress.