It rains and then the grass grows

But believe it or not, there is a team of dedicated professionals who are not only thinking about grass but wondering when they can next deal with it.

Grass is great as a food source for cattle and attractive as a lawn, but when it comes to roadsides, grass, particularly long grass, is a total nuisance.

Kempsey Shire Council understands that tall grass is frustrating for drivers and the community, making intersections more difficult and driveways harder to escape.

As such the consistent heavy rainfall we have had for months now has resulted in a rapid increase in the growth of grass on public assets across our large shire.

Prior to last weekend's floods council crews have been working above and beyond to stay on top of maintaining the region's roads, reserves, parks, sports fields and kerbsides.

Council's Manager Infrastructure Delivery, Dylan Reeves, said Council has even brought in extra resources to address the backlog in roadside slashing.

"Council is desperate to cut the grass alongside our roads as quickly as possible," Mr Reeves said.

"Unfortunately there are two major issues. Unlike the rain, we can't be across the entire Shire all at once. Also, our teams have to work to the weather, and with the recent inclement and then torrential weather, we haven't even been able to start given the need to access areas with vehicles or machinery.

"We are working on it. Once the elements permit, we will prioritise the rapid reduction of grass where it is causing danger."

While council has responsibility for maintaining public spaces, residents are also asked to adequately maintain their own property, extending to the road where possible. This can often mean mowing along the kerbside, where safety permits, to keep the front of their property tidy.