Coming up to 10 years in Aussie

[Lanky Lad]

EDIT:   Please Note:  I started this post with  a couple of - what I thought - may be a light hearted reminder that Aussie can seem  hard and strange - even if  the movers have been to Oz once or more to reccy  - to check if they can cope with heat etc or as I said to my wife at 3pm in the Botanic Gardens on New Years Eve 2003... "Could we live here? ". It was a Yes  BUT we knew nothing about oz then! 

My mention about my mate and trying to get hos grass cut - about the equal of a 1/4 of a football field seems to have become the focal point - it should not be!! It is just one if the  points I tried to make to  those planning on coming to Oz and who may  have thoughts about getting their parents/grandparents over here with them. The age care structure in Oz is no where like the UK  and  to make matter worse - teh UK pension sticks at whatever rate it  is when you depart the UK, works or private pensions superannuation etc are whatever you signed up for.  No pensioner can claim and aussie pension  until their tenth year ( bloody whoopee for me!)   Then the aussie pension is  the difference between the UK  -  and what one  would be entitled to  by circumstance as a "real" aussie would  get.

So please accept it for what it is.. not my plea for help

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I don't suppose there are many of us who were regulars on PIO around 2006 / 8 - who are still regulars!   Fact is,  unless its changed since then - getting through the visa applications  with the aussie admin - was akin to wading through 6 foot deep ( or 2 meter's) horse s**t.   Especially  the Contributory Parent Visa!  it took us 19 months from submitting applications to  landing in Sydney 28th October 2018.

What ever happened to Nigel and  that darling Gollywobbler ( or summat similar)  and  how fast the time as past...it seems. After getting settled here and buying   our home and "living the life" - looking back now that advice to get out and do a reccy or rekky visit to test the water - seems better ignored.   We did three  three month visit to stay with our kids in Sydney and " live the life".  NO... its just a long holiday and getting up the kids noses and ruining their love life!"  ( amazing how daughters talk to mum after she  - the daughter gives birth and become... a mum.

So here we  are up on the Central Coast, on  what was then  a new town in the making - and still is.   Getting used to the people is a  real experience.   Lots of  "tradies"   a man and his ute / best mate or son.  Over time we had  roof fans fitted - the  guy hid the 3 way wall switch - said it was not included with the  fan...but he had one for $25 - we declined. We have a water rain tank which is used on toilets washing /utility room and garden hose - till it runs out and teh mains takes over.   Our water switch failed - we get a guy in to quote its an insurance  job,  we opts for a replacement at $200 rather than new $2000 and  while  he was alone... be got the  pump out and buggered  it!  The water switch failed after 3 months and  we found that the "NEW" stop tap he  fitted was an old type...and  did not turn the water off - which makes changing the water filter $60 + a year - a sloppy wet feet  job.  A couple of years ago we finally decided on aircon. The tradie we had seemed OK and I cannot fault the work of the unit.   BUT a week or two later we were having our kidz up from Sydney for the weekend, getting the tables and chairs outside on our "Pay she Oh"  or patio to us Poms.. we  found the ring with the roller ring for the lazy Susan - was gone  AND two  wicks out of the new anti mozzie oil  burners were gone. There are others but it gets past the laughing stage.  I did think of getting  bumper stickers made... BEWARE Tradies are out to make YOUR stuff THEIRS! .

Now, in aussie you buy /rent your home and in most cities and suburbs... out the front you will have a "nature strip" which may be just the one from the road to the pathway or  one that runs from the roadside to  your garden boundary and may or may not have a pathway in the  middle. If you have a corner plot ie your house is on the  end of the road/street - you have the nature strip  at the front maybe 20 /30 yards and  one  up the side and from the front  path to the  fence line at the back of our house - is 50yards  and each strip is 6/8 feet wide.   
The local council NEVER cut grass or in fact sweep roads unless its an accident or other sudden generator of crap and debris in the road.  No -  the councils have no Federal/State laws or bylaws to enforce this and if asked will tell you  that homeowners always prefer to look after the nature strips and cut the grass themselves!
A neighbour if ours is 73 years old,  arthritis in both hands and shoulder ( he says he was crushed as an 18 year old in the army  - between a railway wagon and the platform - while  trying to lift the  big manual brake and his shoulders were wider than the gap and got spun around and squashed) he is also waiting an appointment for a knee operation.  I contacted ( eventually)  the local council  to advise these issues my friend has and asked if there is any option available to get the grass - at least that on the council owned "nature strips - cut for him.  i heard nothing back and assumed my letter was ignored. Until we had a visitor from a council guy... never got his name - coz he never gave it or showed any official pass/ID information.   "What's the issues with your grass?"  he asked. I said I had none but did he mean the person at the  address I gave in my letter. " You wrote in  - so WE have to reply to  you - but be WARNED(!) WE do not cut residential grass".   I asked if he had seen my letter and understood that the person concerned had worsening health problems - of which heaving an heavy petrol mower over what amounts to about 1/4 of a football field - none of which  is his land and that its getting to the point where he will not be able to do it any longer - also, I can  find nothing in the local bylaws or information from any  person I ask about the nature strips - being a condition on the nearest property owner".   He then stated that  there was no obligation or law and that if the person did not cut the grass - the council would - when  it considered the matter a danger to people using the  footpath....kill off the grass.  So I said, "So its just blackmail - we know  you will cut the grass rather than have neighbors upset by it.   So i am right - its just blackmail. At  which point he said nothing and walked off!

Now for all you nice folk  who came on a reccy for a two or three week  holiday and check if you could deal with the heat and the flies and mozzies etc,.   you  will laern almost nothing about the real Australia.   Move next door to a dog owner and you  may be in for a shock. Few aussies allow the dogs inside - the are instead of a burglar alarm - which is useless because  nobody would phone teh ploice - and if they did - by the time they arived they  may have seen  the last brick of you  house   being thrown on a the truck!    So   the dog owners work all day - the  dog is behind a 7 foot high  tin fence and see's nothing all day - gets lonely and barks at the only thing that moves... the  clouds or a bird.  So  in the UK,  you could phone the council, environmental dept or whatever and  somebody  would get involved. Not in Aussie. You would phone the Rangers office - you would have to record dates and times THEN attend with teh dog owner at a mediation meeting with at  one or even two officials to seek a solution. That fails coz he ain't gonna be there to shut the dog up and when teh council decide to collect your records of offense - IF it issues a fine its  can be as much as $250 per recorded incident $2000 or so is typical. Now IF that  happens - you have  just entered WW3 because the guys mates are liable to hurl bricks through your windows, or the odd petrol bomb or even  drive a stolen  car into you house - which will likely knock it off the concrete block ( no "foundations as such here")  and need to be demolished and rebuilt  - OR  they wait while you are out and  smash their way in and  your house us  usually a fancy garden shed ..ie wooden frames with "plaster board" cladding and  there is no insulation in the cavity - and a fist goes through both panels very easily.... and it will cost thousands to repair.  So knowing this when the  dog barks for  7 hours - get headphones and watch TV.  Oh,  and  don't buy or rent an house on a corner plot.... unless you like cutting the council grass at your  cost and nopayment.   I think the European Civil Liberties would consider it a form or slavery.... working without payment and   in fear of retribution....but as tghe council guy said.... well this is Australia - not England!   How bloody right  he is!

If you want MORE real Aussie life .... ask because  this post is in danger of becoming  a book!

Edited April 15, 2018 by Lanky Lad

[ali]

Congratulations on your decade (almost) in Aus .. I'm still here lol.  Nigel left and I heard that Gill (Gollywobbler) passed away - she helped a lot of people on their migration journey.

[ramot]

I hope this is tongue in cheek?! because it bears no resemblance to my 15 years retired in Oz. That you are still here does you credit, keep smiling at life's misfortunes, and choose your tradies more carefully.

ps I think you meant you arrived in 2008

Edited April 15, 2018 by ramot

[Toots]

It takes OH 2 mins to mow our nature strip - we are not on a corner block though - and the road sweepers come down the street once a week.  Agree about the dogs.  I really don't know why some people bother having them.    Thankfully there are no yard dogs near us but I've heard them barking when I walk up to the town.  Poor things.  Must drive the neighbours nuts. 

With regard to your grassy nature strip you could do what one of our neighbours has done.  Their son ripped up the grass and put down thick plastic then pebbles and planted a few ground covers.  No more grass to mow and it look nice too.

[Amber Snowball]

36 minutes ago, ramot said:

I hope this is tongue in cheek?! because it bears no resemblance to my 15 years retired in Oz. That you are still here does you credit, keep smiling at life's misfortunes, and choose your tradies more carefully.

ps I think you meant you arrived in 2008

I don’t know as it is tongue in cheek as it bears all manner of resemblance to where I live. Throw in some regular burn outs up and down the road and me and lanky lad could be in the same suburb.

 

[Amber Snowball]

11 minutes ago, Toots said:

It takes OH 2 mins to mow our nature strip - we are not on a corner block though - and the road sweepers come down the street once a week.  Agree about the dogs.  I really don't know why some people bother having them.    Thankfully there are no yard dogs near us but I've heard them barking when I walk up to the town.  Poor things.  Must drive the neighbours nuts. 

With regard to your grassy nature strip you could do what one of our neighbours has done.  Their son ripped up the grass and put down thick plastic then pebbles and planted a few ground covers.  No more grass to mow and it look nice too.

Some councils will still claim ownership of the nature strip and you have to ask to change it or plant stuff. Having said that, a bloke up the road here used to grow sweet corn on his! 

[Lanky Lad]

48 minutes ago, ramot said:

I hope this is tongue in cheek?! because it bears no resemblance to my 15 years retired in Oz. That you are still here does you credit, keep smiling at life's misfortunes, and choose your tradies more carefully.

ps I think you meant you arrived in 2008

Sadly.... all I wrote and more ... is truth.  

[Lanky Lad]

1 hour ago, ali said:

Congratulations on your decade (almost) in Aus .. I'm still here lol.  Nigel left and I heard that Gill (Gollywobbler) passed away - she helped a lot of people on their migration journey.

So sad to here about Gill. I  first had contact with her  on an agents forum and we had a few emails off the forum on none visa stuff  and she showed a very caring nature. Some years back I sent an email but no reply - but as  all the main email "makers" hotmail, Google etc seemed to be in flux I just assumed either she had changed or moved on away from forums. At that  time I recall her  mother was a cause for concern - and again thought  maybe she was prioritizing family before "fun".

[Lanky Lad]

26 minutes ago, Toots said:

It takes OH 2 mins to mow our nature strip - we are not on a corner block though - and the road sweepers come down the street once a week.  Agree about the dogs.  I really don't know why some people bother having them.    Thankfully there are no yard dogs near us but I've heard them barking when I walk up to the town.  Poor things.  Must drive the neighbours nuts. 

With regard to your grassy nature strip you could do what one of our neighbours has done.  Their son ripped up the grass and put down thick plastic then pebbles and planted a few ground covers.  No more grass to mow and it look nice too.

Its a friend across the road with the grass thing... but he does not know  I inquired -  I  did not give any info about him in my letter.   But again.. the amount of land that would need covering would cost a bucket load of $.  Although I did suggest wood chippings - but he was right to comment it would be worse because if the  get shifted so some went onto the road... its a bigger mess to clean up - ditto on the  double strips  if it blocked even in places  teh footpath... although aussies  consider the footpath a free parking space and bugger you if you are in wheel chair - a whinge to the council  and it invites grief.

[Parley]

Is mowing your nature strip a big chore ? Don't you mow your own lawn ?

 

[Lanky Lad]

22 minutes ago, Amber Snowball said:

I don’t know as it is tongue in cheek as it bears all manner of resemblance to where I live. Throw in some regular burn outs up and down the road and me and lanky lad could be in the same suburb.

 

Sad to say.. but i am really happy you  replied with your experiences - it shows  where I am is not a one off!   When were moved in here March 2009, it was a fairly new development and most houses where owner occupiers, few if any renters. From here to teh mall took about 10 minutes driving (7k according to Google maps)  Now our rural homestead is almost a major city and the two lane road leading to the mall is almost always nose to tail and can take 30 minutes or more to get to the mall. The most busy is during the school times morning and afternoon.

[Lanky Lad]

3 minutes ago, Parley said:

Is mowing your nature strip a big chore ? Don't you mow your own lawn ?

 

Read my post again.. NOT me. And  yes I cut the  grass. "Lawn"  as in a patch of grass that dies off after the rainy season?   Yes I cut  the grass in my garden area and teh soddin nature strips.

[Amber Snowball]

5 minutes ago, Lanky Lad said:

Sad to say.. but i am really happy you  replied with your experiences - it shows  where I am is not a one off!   When were moved in here March 2009, it was a fairly new development and most houses where owner occupiers, few if any renters. From here to teh mall took about 10 minutes driving (7k according to Google maps)  Now our rural homestead is almost a major city and the two lane road leading to the mall is almost always nose to tail and can take 30 minutes or more to get to the mall. The most busy is during the school times morning and afternoon.

I think it’s called progress! ?

I have no issues with housing being built, people need somewhere to live, but the infrastructure doesn’t keep up.

I’m in the hills outside Melbourne in a designated take your life in your hands because we won’t be able to save you fire zone, so no large scale housing developments here. 

Whilst there are issues here, barking/howling/and in one case screaming dogs, divs in V8s, an idiot child next door who has no concept of fence lines and that my side of it doesn’t belong to him, an aggro goat that bleats all the time......It is better than the cesspool, armpit of a place I left in England. 

I think you just feel let down as you put so much time, effort and money in to getting here only to find it’s the same s#*t in a shinier bucket and the bucket ain’t cheap!

[Parley]

So this a whinge on behalf of someone else ? okay.

People who don't/can't mow their lawns normally pay someone to do it.

Sometimes a friendly neighbour might even offer to mow their lawn for them. Probably a more practical response than writing a letter to the council.

[Parley]

I think we have a better class of riff raff where i live.

[Amber Snowball]

3 minutes ago, Parley said:

So this a whinge on behalf of someone else ? okay.

People who don't/can't mow their lawns normally pay someone to do it.

Sometimes a friendly neighbour might even offer to mow their lawn for them. Probably a more practical response than writing a letter to the council.

Have to say I am lucky here. I pay a man to mow my bush block a few times a year. It’s brown dust at the moment. Then when the avid mower next door gets going he runs over my nature strip for me. ? . Having said that it’s ride ons all the way here, so less hard yakka. Neighbour the other side with the idiot child I’m fairly sure uses a measure to make sure he never cuts a blade of grass on my side of the invisible line on the nature strip, but we’ve established they are weird. He has a strangely placed security camera which my grass mower man takes great delight standing in front of and scratching his nads! Makes us laugh every time. 

[AJ]

Maybe you should tell people what suburb it is so they know where to avoid.  Certainly not my experience of Australia either!

[Amber Snowball]

Just now, AJ said:

Maybe you should tell people what suburb it is so they know where to avoid.  Certainly not my experience of Australia either!

I think when we are miffed for whatever reason things that are a bit rubbish become amplified in our minds and take on a greater significance, if that makes sense. 

I’ve lived in a few places in Geelong and Melbourne and all have had the odd bug bear but nothing that got me wound up. The minute I decided I wanted to leave an area those things became issues that I simply couldn’t possibly live with anymore, regardless that I had been living with them for years prior. Human nature I suppose, it helps firm up in your mind that moving is good and okay.

I wouldn’t tell anyone not to live in any of the suburbs I have lived in here in Australia. They all have lots of positives. I would however, caution against where I lived in the UK. It has one plus point and that’s access to London and the airport, so position. A second plus point would be the road out.

[calNgary]

Our council will come every now and again and mow the nature strip, well ,of a fashion, as normally if and when they do it looks like a 2 yr old has done it,lol. You may also find the more the area develops the more pro active they are with barking dogs, i know around here nowadays it seems it only takes 1 call to council and the council are out knocking on doors, so hopefully the same happens for you as the area populates. Have you had a friendly chat with the neighbours about it? If they are out ,they may honestly not now what a PITA their dog is being. I feel for you, it would do my head in !

As for tradies, we now try to only use those who come recommended by people we know have used them or are friends of friends.

Congratulations on nearly reaching 10 years, its a big milestone to us migrants isn't it ? 

Cal x

[Bulya]

3 hours ago, Lanky Lad said:

I don't suppose there are many of us who were regulars on PIO around 2006 / 8 - who are still regulars!   Fact is,  unless its changed since then - getting through the visa applications  with the aussie admin - was akin to wading through 6 foot deep ( or 2 meter's) horse s**t.   Especially  the Contributory Parent Visa!  it took us 19 months from submitting applications to  landing in Sydney 28th October 2018.

What ever happened to Nigel and  that darling Gollywobbler ( or summat similar)  and  how fast the time as past...it seems. After getting settled here and buying   our home and "living the life" - looking back now that advice to get out and do a reccy or rekky visit to test the water - seems better ignored.   We did three  three month visit to stay with our kids in Sydney and " live the life".  NO... its just a long holiday and getting up the kids noses and ruining their love life!"  ( amazing how daughters talk to mum after she  - the daughter gives birth and become... a mum.

So here we  are up on the Central Coast, on  what was then  a new town in the making - and still is.   Getting used to the people is a  real experience.   Lots of  "tradies"   a man and his ute / best mate or son.  Over time we had  roof fans fitted - the  guy hid the 3 way wall switch - said it was not included with the  fan...but he had one for $25 - we declined. We have a water rain tank which is used on toilets washing /utility room and garden hose - till it runs out and teh mains takes over.   Our water switch failed - we get a guy in to quote its an insurance  job,  we opts for a replacement at $200 rather than new $2000 and  while  he was alone... be got the  pump out and buggered  it!  The water switch failed after 3 months and  we found that the "NEW" stop tap he  fitted was an old type...and  did not turn the water off - which makes changing the water filter $60 + a year - a sloppy wet feet  job.  A couple of years ago we finally decided on aircon. The tradie we had seemed OK and I cannot fault the work of the unit.   BUT a week or two later we were having our kidz up from Sydney for the weekend, getting the tables and chairs outside on our "Pay she Oh"  or patio to us Poms.. we  found the ring with the roller ring for the lazy Susan - was gone  AND two  wicks out of the new anti mozzie oil  burners were gone. There are others but it gets past the laughing stage.  I did think of getting  bumper stickers made... BEWARE Tradies are out to make YOUR stuff THEIRS! .

Now, in aussie you buy /rent your home and in most cities and suburbs... out the front you will have a "nature strip" which may be just the one from the road to the pathway or  one that runs from the roadside to  your garden boundary and may or may not have a pathway in the  middle. If you have a corner plot ie your house is on the  end of the road/street - you have the nature strip  at the front maybe 20 /30 yards and  one  up the side and from the front  path to the  fence line at the back of our house - is 50yards  and each strip is 6/8 feet wide.   
The local council NEVER cut grass or in fact sweep roads unless its an accident or other sudden generator of crap and debris in the road.  No -  the councils have no Federal/State laws or bylaws to enforce this and if asked will tell you  that homeowners always prefer to look after the nature strips and cut the grass themselves!
A neighbour if ours is 73 years old,  arthritis in both hands and shoulder ( he says he was crushed as an 18 year old in the army  - between a railway wagon and the platform - while  trying to lift the  big manual brake and his shoulders were wider than the gap and got spun around and squashed) he is also waiting an appointment for a knee operation.  I contacted ( eventually)  the local council  to advise these issues my friend has and asked if there is any option available to get the grass - at least that on the council owned "nature strips - cut for him.  i heard nothing back and assumed my letter was ignored. Until we had a visitor from a council guy... never got his name - coz he never gave it or showed any official pass/ID information.   "What's the issues with your grass?"  he asked. I said I had none but did he mean the person at the  address I gave in my letter. " You wrote in  - so WE have to reply to  you - but be WARNED(!) WE do not cut residential grass".   I asked if he had seen my letter and understood that the person concerned had worsening health problems - of which heaving an heavy petrol mower over what amounts to about 1/4 of a football field - none of which  is his land and that its getting to the point where he will not be able to do it any longer - also, I can  find nothing in the local bylaws or information from any  person I ask about the nature strips - being a condition on the nearest property owner".   He then stated that  there was no obligation or law and that if the person did not cut the grass - the council would - when  it considered the matter a danger to people using the  footpath....kill off the grass.  So I said, "So its just blackmail - we know  you will cut the grass rather than have neighbors upset by it.   So i am right - its just blackmail. At  which point he said nothing and walked off!

Now for all you nice folk  who came on a reccy for a two or three week  holiday and check if you could deal with the heat and the flies and mozzies etc,.   you  will laern almost nothing about the real Australia.   Move next door to a dog owner and you  may be in for a shock. Few aussies allow the dogs inside - the are instead of a burglar alarm - which is useless because  nobody would phone teh ploice - and if they did - by the time they arived they  may have seen  the last brick of you  house   being thrown on a the truck!    So   the dog owners work all day - the  dog is behind a 7 foot high  tin fence and see's nothing all day - gets lonely and barks at the only thing that moves... the  clouds or a bird.  So  in the UK,  you could phone the council, environmental dept or whatever and  somebody  would get involved. Not in Aussie. You would phone the Rangers office - you would have to record dates and times THEN attend with teh dog owner at a mediation meeting with at  one or even two officials to seek a solution. That fails coz he ain't gonna be there to shut the dog up and when teh council decide to collect your records of offense - IF it issues a fine its  can be as much as $250 per recorded incident $2000 or so is typical. Now IF that  happens - you have  just entered WW3 because the guys mates are liable to hurl bricks through your windows, or the odd petrol bomb or even  drive a stolen  car into you house - which will likely knock it off the concrete block ( no "foundations as such here")  and need to be demolished and rebuilt  - OR  they wait while you are out and  smash their way in and  your house us  usually a fancy garden shed ..ie wooden frames with "plaster board" cladding and  there is no insulation in the cavity - and a fist goes through both panels very easily.... and it will cost thousands to repair.  So knowing this when the  dog barks for  7 hours - get headphones and watch TV.  Oh,  and  don't buy or rent an house on a corner plot.... unless you like cutting the council grass at your  cost and nopayment.   I think the European Civil Liberties would consider it a form or slavery.... working without payment and   in fear of retribution....but as tghe council guy said.... well this is Australia - not England!   How bloody right  he is!

If you want MORE real Aussie life .... ask because  this post is in danger of becoming  a book!

Australia quickly sorts the pretenders out.  Not sure if you’re a pretender or not...

Edited April 15, 2018 by Bulya
Context

[Lanky Lad]

9 minutes ago, calNgary said:

Our council will come every now and again and mow the nature strip, well ,of a fashion, as normally if and when they do it looks like a 2 yr old has done it,lol. You may also find the more the area develops the more pro active they are with barking dogs, i know around here nowadays it seems it only takes 1 call to council and the council are out knocking on doors, so hopefully the same happens for you as the area populates. Have you had a friendly chat with the neighbours about it? If they are out ,they may honestly not now what a PITA their dog is being. I feel for you, it would do my head in !

As for tradies, we now try to only use those who come recommended by people we know have used them or are friends of friends.

Congratulations on nearly reaching 10 years, its a big milestone to us migrants isn't it ? 

Cal x

As I mentioned  the anonymous council guy mentioned  -   the council do not cut grass on residential area nature strips.   We have a mix here - some people  keep a tidy  front garden and  do the nature strips... but a lot of  those in corner units - leave it till its above a foot high. Now granted in aussie, in the dry hot months - if you  don't water the grass - it  does not grow high and often dies back - coming  up again  in the "wet season" - all two weeks of it!  

BUT don't lose the track of my post - the mention is more about the councils could not care less if you are in an iron lung - you  cut the grass not the council attitude.

Just had a born here aussie mate call around and I mentioned my  letter to teh council  for  XXXXX and his health issues. He tells me " jeez mate, wadder yer expect! The day they DID come out and it was known- about 100,000  others will want the same deal".  So  it explains the gruff attitude from my council guy - he was not interested in anything I said.

One of the  moments I left out in my initial post was  that I asked him, if the council will not help...why have you come.  He told me because I did not include a phone number. To which I replied and if I had not  included my address - on the  premise that I would be issued a reference number first - you would not know where to come to -  so why not just  tell me all this  in writing? - No answer. So at the moment I am guessing there is no "official" record or my letter! 

[Amber Snowball]

9 minutes ago, Lanky Lad said:

As I mentioned  the anonymous council guy mentioned  -   the council do not cut grass on residential area nature strips.   We have a mix here - some people  keep a tidy  front garden and  do the nature strips... but a lot of  those in corner units - leave it till its above a foot high. Now granted in aussie, in the dry hot months - if you  don't water the grass - it  does not grow high and often dies back - coming  up again  in the "wet season" - all two weeks of it!  

BUT don't lose the track of my post - the mention is more about the councils could not care less if you are in an iron lung - you  cut the grass not the council attitude.

Just had a born here aussie mate call around and I mentioned my  letter to teh council  for  XXXXX and his health issues. He tells me " jeez mate, wadder yer expect! The day they DID come out and it was known- about 100,000  others will want the same deal".  So  it explains the gruff attitude from my council guy - he was not interested in anything I said.

One of the  moments I left out in my initial post was  that I asked him, if the council will not help...why have you come.  He told me because I did not include a phone number. To which I replied and if I had not  included my address - on the  premise that I would be issued a reference number first - you would not know where to come to -  so why not just  tell me all this  in writing? - No answer. So at the moment I am guessing there is no "official" record or my letter! 

Is it just the grass that is an issue for this man or would he benefit from other assistance as well? If he has chronic health problems that impede his ability to care for himself and is over 65 he might be eligible for a Home Care Package. It can’t be approved just for grass cutting though, but if he has some other care needs, help with shopping, self care, meal prep etc he could ring My Aged Care and ask for an assessment. Just an idea.

[Lanky Lad]

1 hour ago, Parley said:

So this a whinge on behalf of someone else ? okay.

People who don't/can't mow their lawns normally pay someone to do it.

Sometimes a friendly neighbour might even offer to mow their lawn for them. Probably a more practical response than writing a letter to the council.

Again the  point in my post was primarily a warning to those to those  planning on coming over - a short vacation or reccy does not get things like this  mind - and our middle aged kids live  near to Sydney for their jobs. If it was my situation - I would  not expect  the kids to come ( about 140k drive and cut the grass. A lot of couples coming over may also want mum's and dads etc to come over on Contributory Parent or whatever none work related visa is viable - but not  live with them and  our councils attitude is not an exception, from I  am told in NSW at least - its the norm and goes back  100 years or more.

Edited April 15, 2018 by Lanky Lad

[Lanky Lad]

9 minutes ago, Amber Snowball said:

Is it just the grass that is an issue for this man or would he benefit from other assistance as well? If he has chronic health problems that impede his ability to care for himself and is over 65 he might be eligible for a Home Care Package. It can’t be approved just for grass cutting though, but if he has some other care needs, help with shopping, self care, meal prep etc he could ring My Aged Care and ask for an assessment. Just an idea.

It is an  idea I can check on, thanks for that.

Although If that were the case, then surely who ever dealt with my letter - should have  passed it on to a relevant department or advised me to do so.  i am no expert but I get the impression that those on Medicare and or whatever age/health related "cover systems get what going  and those  with  private health  cover are left to sort it out with their insurers.
This is more often seen with the number of "poor" none working older aussies with two teeth!  The free dental care is basically to rip everything out rather them preventative treatment and  worse case scenario if getting an ill fitting  denture!     EDIT, after thought - although   things  just now are managable one of t he  thoughts that cause me to contact the council  is that - he is obviously  getting older and if he had help - it would perhaps delay any adverse affects, that aside the situation is   - it seems now - not going top change at any time.

Edited April 15, 2018 by Lanky Lad

[ramot]

I'm really sorry that You sound so unhappy with life here. We moved into our house 15 years ago last week, and apart from barking/yapping dogs can't identify with your any of your experiences. We had 2 dogs bothering us, we wrote a note to both including our name and on behalf of several neighbours. We live by a lake and the noise echoed from across the lake. One owner came over almost at once, apologised and sorted it. We never heard from the other, the yapping did improve for a while, only yaps for about 30 mins now!!! instead of 2 hours. We have good neighbours luckily, we don't socialise much apart from a Christmas get together, but do look out for each other when needed.

Wish you all the best.