What is in this guide
Do the safety jobs in spring, before it is hot and before anyone is using the yard properly. Pool fencing, shade and the things living in the long grass are all easier to deal with in October than in January.
Then do the pleasant jobs. The order matters, because the pleasant ones are the ones people actually feel like doing and the safety ones then never happen.
The safety jobs, first
Pool and spa fencing. Requirements are set by state and are legally enforceable. Check the gate self-closes and self-latches from every position, that the latch is at the required height, and that nothing climbable has appeared within the non-climbable zone. Furniture, pot plants, bins and firewood stacked near a pool fence are the classic failure. Check your own state authority for the current requirements rather than relying on a general description.
Portable and inflatable pools. These are covered by fencing requirements in most Australian jurisdictions above a certain depth. A shell pool from a department store is not automatically exempt. Check before you fill it.
Trampolines. Check the mat, springs, padding and net, and confirm it is on level ground away from fences and hard surfaces.
Play equipment. Check for rust, splinters, loose bolts and worn rope. Check the softfall material underneath is still deep enough, because it compacts and washes away over winter.
Snakes. Snakes become active as it warms. Reduce habitat rather than trying to manage encounters: mow, clear wood and rubbish piles, remove long grass along fences, and keep sheds tidy. Teach children to stay on paths and to back away rather than approach.
Chemicals. Pool chemicals, fertiliser, herbicide, snail bait and fuel all need to be locked away, not on a shelf in the shed.
Shade, before you need it
Shade is worth more than almost anything else in an Australian backyard and it is a spring job, not a January one.
- Check and repair existing shade sails. UV degrades them and the fixings loosen
- A gazebo, umbrella or temporary sail for the area you actually use
- Note where the shade is at 3pm, not at 10am. Shade that disappears at the hottest part of the day is not doing the job
- If you are planting for shade, it is a multi-year plan, not a this-summer one
Mosquitoes and standing water
Australian mosquito season starts in spring and the fix is emptying water rather than spraying.
Walk the yard and empty or remove: pot plant saucers, buckets, wheelbarrows, children’s toys, tarpaulin folds, blocked gutters, unused birdbaths and anything else holding water. Anything you cannot empty, change weekly.
Blocked gutters are the one most people miss and one of the most productive.
Lawn and garden
- Mow, and keep it shorter than over winter
- Feed the lawn in early spring if you are going to
- Check the irrigation or sprinklers work before the first hot week
- Mulch the garden beds, which holds water and reduces watering considerably. Avoid cocoa mulch entirely if you have a dog
- Prune back anything overhanging paths and play areas
The outdoor living jobs
- Clean outdoor furniture and check it is stable
- Clean the barbecue properly, including checking the gas hose and connections
- Wash down paving and decking
- Check outdoor lighting and replace what has failed
- Set up the water play area if you have one, and plan where the water drains
If you are in a bushfire risk area
Spring is when this is done, not when a fire is approaching.
- Clear gutters of leaves
- Clear vegetation and flammable material from around the house
- Move firewood, mulch stacks and fuel away from the building
- Check and prepare your bushfire survival plan for the season
- Check your state fire authority for the current fire danger period dates and restrictions
Before the first properly hot weekend
- Shade is up and covers where people will actually sit
- Pool gate self-closes and latches, with nothing climbable nearby
- Water is available outside, including for pets
- Standing water emptied
- Sunscreen and hats are where people will find them
- Hoses and taps work
- Anything hot underfoot, paving, synthetic turf, metal, identified and shaded or avoided
Next: pet-friendly garden design covers the plants and surfaces in more detail, and camping with kids is where the backyard practice night happens.
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