When to slash: a seasonal plan, not a fixed date

There is no single slashing date that suits every Central Victorian property. Seasonal growth and drying vary. Plan around the grass, intended land use and any notice requirements, using the seasonal planning guide as a starting point rather than a fixed annual deadline.

Work out why you're cutting

A pasture cut for stock, a tidy-up before a sale photo day, and compliance with a council fire notice are three different jobs with three different standards. Fix the purpose and the required finish before booking anything — a notice usually specifies a height or clearance, a pasture cut doesn't.

Winter: walk and plan

Use the quieter planning period to inspect the property, flag anything that needs forestry mulching or brushcutting instead of a straight slash, and discuss machinery access. The site visit determines whether the proposed areas can be worked safely; do not assume access from rainfall alone.

Spring: watch grass curing, not the calendar

This is the period grass cures — moving from green and moisture-rich to dry, pale and far more flammable. Curing rate varies by species, rainfall and how hot the season turns, and it's one of the inputs the fire danger rating system tracks. Official guidance An early September slash can look great and then be waist-high again by November if spring rain keeps coming. Build in a second pass instead of assuming one cut holds.

Summer: check restrictions before you start the machine

Check the current Fire Danger Period declaration for your municipality and CFA's activity-specific restrictions. Those rules differ from Total Fire Ban conditions; do not assume every machinery activity has the same prohibition or permit requirement. Blades striking rocks and hot machinery can ignite dry grass. Ironbark does not work on Total Fire Ban days and may postpone other unsafe work. Slashing reduces standing height, but cut material remains combustible when dry.

Autumn: review what came back

After the season eases, walk the paddocks again and note what regrew and where. Slashing doesn't control woody weeds like blackberry or gorse — it knocks down the current season's growth but the plant usually survives at the base. If the same patches keep reappearing, that's a sign the area needs a different treatment, not another identical cut.

Common mistake

Treating slashing as a once-a-year box to tick. Inspect the grass after cutting and review whether another visit is needed for the actual growth and your property's requirements. Agree follow-up checks with your contractor rather than assuming one visit covers summer or that every property needs the same number of cuts.

• CFA fire bans and restrictions
• CFA plan and prepare