Mowing down the challenge of maintaining our green lands
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Maintaining the green lands of Redlands Coast is a massive job that has a significant effect on Redland City Council’s annual budget.
In addition to the $14.6 million allocated in the 2023-2024 Council Budget to fund its own vegetation maintenance crews and equipment, Council also engages contractors to help maintain the more than 19,000ha of public space on its maintenance schedule. This is an area larger than Moreton Island (18,600ha).
Earlier this year, Council signed a $28 million contract covering the next five years for contractors to support the city’s landscape and vegetation management as well as bushfire mitigation services.
These services include mowing, pruning, brush cutting, slashing and edging works.
Previously provided through seven separate arrangements, the new contract consolidates this to three suppliers – one local and two from nearby areas.
The contract provides for local employment opportunities with Redlands Coast residents already employed by each of the suppliers.
The crews mow and slash close to 500ha of vegetated areas including roadside, turf, firebreaks and sports fields every week – which, in perspective, is more than 290 cricket fields, or if you want consistency, roughly 2.7 per cent of Moreton Island.
As part of their equipment arsenal, the newly onboarded contractors will investigate using electric mowers and other battery-powered tools such as brush-cutters and blowers to help reduce the reliance on petrol.
It would be another important step forward in Council’s commitment to reaching its sustainability goals and environmental targets.
Council’s Special Budget Meeting will be held on Thursday 27 June 2024.
Redland City Council provides a suite of services to 166,873 residents and more than 63,000 residential households across Redlands Coast. Our naturally wonderful city on Quandamooka Country is home to more than 335 kilometres of coastline, six island communities and 12 mainland suburbs. Council’s vegetation management program is funded through the Environment and Coastal Management Levy.