Calls for simple roadside change after council workers spotted in expensive 2.5km act
Mowing the grass around Aussie cities comes at a seriously big expense. For instance, Brisbane City Council will reportedly be spending an eye-watering $32 million this year to keep its grass cut low.
While the majority of the spending will be on public parks and natural places, there's one area that experts believe could be overhauled to save the tax-payer's dime — grassy nature strips. By replacing them with native plants, they believe councils and residents could be saving money and helping the environment, not just in one city, but across the nation.
Native bee expert Clancy Lester shared his thoughts after watching council workers use hand mowers to tackle a 2.5 km-long nature strip along a busy road in inner-city Melbourne recently. Speaking to Yahoo News on Monday he described the process of tirelessly cutting nature strips as a 'waste of money and resources'.
But rather than feel frustrated or annoyed, instead he sees an opportunity.
'It makes me feel optimistic because there's real potential for these sites,' he said. 'These little green spaces that are sporadically laid out right across cities, could be converted into high-value biodiversity hot spots.'
Melbourne City Council has been contacted for comment.
RELATED: Council defends 'disgraceful' roadside move after turf laid
Lester specialises in pollination ecology and the types of plants that attract Australia's 1,650 native bee species. By increasing their habitat across our cities, population numbers could be boosted and that's great news for home gardeners, particularly those wishing to save a buck amid escalating cost-of-living pressures.
'They're just so important for pollination. And there's such a wide diversity of native bees – within 10km of the Melbourne Post Office, there's over 100 species,' he said.
'For the last 20 million plus years, these species have specialised in pollinating and helping native plants set seed and create fruits. But they're also incredibly valuable to all the people who live in cities who have tomatoes or other fruits and veggies and want to become a bit more self-sufficient.'
Not all councils allow residents to transform their nature strip into native gardens, but for those permitted to do so, there is help available. If you type your postcode into the Wheen Bee Foundation's Powerful Pollinators Planting Guide it will list the specific species that will thrive and help insects in your suburb. Many councils also provide advice about recommended plant species to plant on nature strips.
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Over the long weekend, Lester took to social media to spruik the potential of converting labour and water-intensive grass strips into native plant hubs.
'We can do so much better for pollinators by planting indigenous flowering plants. So let's up our game. Anything but lawn,' he urged.
The concept received widespread praise from his followers, with some suggesting the planting of fruit trees on city streets could help provide fresh produce for residents. However, planting of bird and bat-attracting species would need to be away from busy roads to ensure it didn't lure native species into the path of vehicles.
In a separate video, Sarah Aubrey who runs the popular Electrify This TikTok account shared vision of nature strips around Sydney that had already been converted. 'How lovely is this… they don't need to be maintained by petrol mowers,' she said last week.
'It needs to be like this everywhere,' one person said. 'Looks great. I'm doing it,' another person added.
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19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Are dads doing enough? What the data tells us about the state of modern fatherhood.
As Father's Day approaches, American dads insist they're doing a lot more parenting than the men who raised them, according to a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll. Some dads even claim they're doing more than the women they're parenting with. Yet the survey of 1,560 U.S. adults also taps into the complexities and contradictions of contemporary fatherhood, revealing that even the most egalitarian dads might see themselves in ways that don't quite match up with how others see them. Their partners included. I know a little something about this. One of my duties as national correspondent for Yahoo News is to collaborate on our monthly polls with YouGov, a leading public-opinion firm. I write the questions, then analyze and report on the results. At the same time, my wife and I are trying our best to help our two kids — a 9-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy — grow up to be good people. Like many other millennial parents — I just turned 43 — we aspire to contribute equally to that effort. And so I figured Father's Day would be as good a time as any to ask my fellow dads some of the questions I'm always asking myself. How much are we really doing these days? And is it enough? Gender roles are a perennial topic in the parenting world, and the general consensus is that even though more opposite-sex couples than ever believe in 50/50 parenting — and even though dads have become more involved over the years — moms still do most of the domestic labor. According to a 2023 study by the Pew Research Center, for example, wives in so-called egalitarian marriages — that is, couples where each partner earns about the same amount of money — still spend more than twice as much time on housework than their husbands, and almost two hours more per week on caregiving, including tending to children. 'Egalitarian' husbands, meanwhile, spend three-and-a-half more hours per week on 'leisure activities' than their wives. Yet there may be more to the data than meets the eye, at least based on the results of the new Yahoo News/YouGov poll. For one thing, nearly two-thirds of American dads (63%) now say they spend more time with their kids than their fathers spent with them — and a full 37% describe that generational difference as 'significant.' Dads feel like they're putting in the hours and making progress. What's more surprising, however, is that a third of fathers (34%) also say they carry more than half of their family's "mental load," while another four in 10 (39%) say they shoulder about half. Combined, that's roughly three-quarters of dads who believe the balance is either 50/50 or skewed in their direction. In contrast, just 28% of dads admit to bearing less than half (14%) or none (4%) of their family's mental load. It's fair to say those numbers contradict what researchers have found — and what most moms would tell us if we asked them the same questions about the fathers in their lives. When I shared the poll with my wife and asked how she would answer for me, we agreed on everything — except mental load. And when I told her how many dads seem to believe they shoulder at least half the mental load, she scoffed. My sense is that this disparity reveals a lot about the state of dads today. For the record, I don't really think I take on more of the mental load than my wife — not as the term is typically defined. But I also think the tasks we typically define as 'mental load' fail to fully capture what dads tend to contribute. Here's how the poll put it: 'Mental load refers to the cognitive and emotional effort involved in managing and coordinating household tasks, responsibilities and relationships. As a father, how much of your family's mental load do you believe you carry?' Again, nearly three out of four dads say they do half or more of this invisible labor — these hidden forms of care. Yet when asked which specific parenting responsibilities they 'regularly take on,' relatively few fathers with children aged 18 or younger pick things like 'make the kids' doctor appointments' (36%), 'sign up the kids for camps/school activities/lessons' (26%), 'schedule playdates with the kids' friends' (18%), 'volunteer for school activities' (15%) or 'book babysitters/child care' (10%) — i.e., the classic mental load stuff. Instead, these dads are much more inclined to say they "play with the kids" (72%), "help with homework" (54%), "take the kids on outings" (52%), 'put the kids to bed' (44%) and 'make dinner' (42%). So it's not like dads are deluded. When asked point-blank about their role — Who are your kids closer to? Who spends more time parenting? Who would your kids' school call first? — a majority of fathers answer either 'me' or 'it's about equal.' But an even larger majority answer either 'it's about equal' or 'their mother.' In other words, dads understand that the parenting scales still aren't perfectly balanced. Why, then, do so many dads seem to think that we're carrying more of the mental load than we get credit for? My guess is that we consider that category to be a little more capacious than our partners do. For the initial draft of the Yahoo News/YouGov Father Day's poll, my editors — both moms — floated a fairly narrow set of options for the 'parenting responsibilities' question: booking babysitters, volunteering at school, making doctor appointments and so on. I responded with some additional choices that 'might capture more of what most dads do': playing with the kids, going on outings, cleaning up after dinner, etc. I also told my editors that 'in general, I think mental load conversations miss things like this (even if they are more about household management than parenting, per se): take care of the house, take care of the yard, take care of the car, take care of the garbage, take care of the finances. We didn't end up asking dads about those duties. But looking back, I can't help but wonder if they would have polled even higher than, say, playing with the kids — and if they were the kinds of responsibilities our dad respondents had in mind when assessing their own share of the mental load. For me, I think the answer is yes. In 2010, I wrote an essay for Newsweek explaining why marriage mattered so much to me; it was a direct rebuttal to a piece by two of my female colleagues about why the institution is 'quite simply, no longer necessary." I agreed with my coworkers that all of marriage's 'antiquated ancillary benefits — its grubby socioeconomic justifications' — no longer really applied. But that, I argued, was 'the point.' 'Dustin and I are not 'getting anything' out of this deal,' I explained. 'Or at least we're not getting what previous generations of men and women were conditioned to expect. I'm not getting a cooking, cleaning, child-rearing machine. She's not getting a bringer-home of the bacon. I clean. Both of us cook. Sometimes, Dustin earns more money than I do. Sometimes she doesn't. We both go to work every day. We both have careers. And when we have children, we'll both take turns staying home to raise them. 'In other words,' I continued, 'our roles within the relationship are not defined by gender. They're defined by who we are as people. … In a world where the practical reasons for marriage no longer apply, the only reason left is love.' Fifteen years and two kids later, nearly every word of that essay still rings true to me. I do all of the laundry — and almost all of the cleaning. She packs lunches; I make dinner. She works longer hours. I drop off the kids at school in the morning, then pick them up in the afternoon. I coach their soccer teams. She plays with them more. We both read books at bedtime. But if I'm being honest with myself, our 'roles within the relationship' are still somewhat 'defined by gender.' As my wife was quick to point out when I shared the mental load results with her, she's the one who makes the doctor appointments, schedules the playdates, books the babysitters and signs up for summer camps. 'OK,' I said. 'But what about all the 'invisible labor' I do?' I mentioned the finances, the house, the yard, the car, the garbage. 'That doesn't have anything to do with parenting,' she responded. 'It's household management,' I responded. 'Someone has to do it.' 'But someone would have to do it even if we didn't have kids,' she said. I think we both have a point here. I feel like I'm doing about half of the hands-on parenting, plus a bunch of hidden work that keeps our lives running smoothly. She feels like she's doing about half of the hands-on parenting, plus a bunch of hidden work that keeps our kids' lives running smoothly. We've gravitated toward these roles — mine indirectly related to parenting, hers directly — because of gender. Or, more specifically, because of gender expectations. The truth is, I don't feel judged for not volunteering at school, or not packing a particularly healthy lunch, or not hosting a playdate. My wife does. She even judges herself. As a dad, I tend to feel OK about how much I do. As a mom, she tends to feel guilty for not doing more. We've inherited and internalized different standards of what it means to be a parent — and hers are higher. That's hard to shake. Egalitarian dads might think they're shouldering half of the mental load, or more. But as hard as we're lifting, most of us still don't know what that feels like. __________________ The Yahoo News survey was conducted by YouGov using a nationally representative sample of 1,560 U.S. adults interviewed online from May 22-27, 2025. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, education, 2024 election turnout and presidential vote, party identification and current voter registration status. Demographic weighting targets come from the 2019 American Community Survey. Party identification is weighted to the estimated distribution at the time of the election (31% Democratic, 32% Republican). Respondents were selected from YouGov's opt-in panel to be representative of all U.S. adults. The margin of error is approximately 2.9%.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Tragic detail spotted on whale off Aussie coast as time runs out in rescue mission
A humpback whale remains trapped in a tangle of rope, dragging a buoy behind it, after urgent rescue efforts failed to set it free when it was first sighted just south of Sydney Harbour on Sunday. The adult whale is heading south, opposite the usual migratory path for this time of year, which is peak whale migration season. Jessica Fox, Vice President of the Organisation for Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA), said that the entangled whale has rope caught on its left pectoral fin and is dragging a buoy, described as light in colour and nearly white, trailing about 20 metres behind it. She told the ABC the whale was likely to pass the coast of Port Kembla and Wollongong later on Monday morning. Earlier, the National Parks and Wildlife Service's Large Whale Disentanglement Team had been on standby, ready to intervene if conditions permitted and time allowed. Rescuing entangled whales is an extremely complex and risky process. Several key factors make these rescues difficult: the unpredictable movement of large, distressed whales, the need for precise coordination to cut ropes without harming the animal or rescuers, and the complexity of the entanglement itself, which often involves multiple lines or old fishing gear. Trained specialists must also work in open water under often unpredictable weather conditions, adding to the risk and difficulty. Fox said time was running out for a safe rescue, but she stressed the importance of any new sightings, explaining that even if the team couldn't reach the whale before nightfall, up-to-date information would help track its movement and potentially guide rescue efforts the following day. It was last seen at 2pm near South Head on Sunday. "Humpback whales would usually all be still heading north this time of year in June," Fox said. "This is very unusual to see it travelling south so early in the season, and this is why we think this whale is in distress and it's turning around and heading back to the Great Southern Ocean." 🐬 Aussie dad and son's incredible encounter while fishing 5km off coast 🛥️ Tourists witness brutal event as whales 'change their behaviour' in seconds 🛶 Warning after 'unusual sightseer' prompts calls from worried Aussies Fox said the whale had been travelling slowly, then at a rapid pace at times, signs that it's also under stress. It is not certain where the whale became entangled. Specialist whale rescuers have been analysing video footage of the entangled humpback, provided by ORRCA and members of the public. Once the whale is located, the rescue team will determine the safest boat positioning needed to catch the rope and remove it. The public is being urged to call the whale rescue hotline on 02 9415 3333 if they spot the whale. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Drivers warned as tragic scene on Aussie roadside prompts calls for rule change
A driver's devastating ordeal on a quiet rural road has prompted an outcry from Aussies — with some calling for major change. Queensland's Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) confirmed to Yahoo News that a cassowary was hit by a car near Mission Beach on Thursday, with the sad scene prompting some to call for a drastic reduction in speed limits on roads that cut through the bird's natural habitat — and for drivers to pay more attention to native animals. The area in Far North Queenslad is famous for its cassowary population, with many flocking from around the world to see the giant flightless birds which are adored and feared in equal measure. Local residents regularly share excited tales of the elusuive creatures exploring their backyards, making the loss a huge blow to the community. Video shared by Mission Beach Wildcare showed the male cassowary, which "ran straight out in front of a car," lying under a blanket on the side of Tully Mission Beach Rd. The driver who hit the bird immediately called for assistance after the tragic accident. The impact of the car alone did not kill the bird, but sadly the severity of the injuries it sustained caused it to be "humanely euthanised", the department told Yahoo. Sadly, the cassowary was accompanied by two juvenile birds, who must now fend for themselves. "A member of the public reported the incident and remained with the bird until the department could arrange for a veterinarian to attend the scene and assess its condition," A DETSI spokesperson told Yahoo News. "Two juvenile cassowaries that were with their father at the time of the incident were unharmed. "Following a thorough assessment, the veterinarian determined that the juveniles were of sufficient age and stage of development to be left in the wild, rather than having to be taken into care." DETSI's policy is to avoid removing wild animals from their natural habitat unless "absolutely necessary". Yahoo Understands that officers will continue monitoring the young birds to make sure they are coping on their own. "New wildlife crossing signage has also been installed in the area to alert motorists to the presence of cassowaries along Tully Mission Beach Road and help prevent further incidents," the department said. A spokesperson for Mission Beach Wildcare explained that many of the locals know the birds well, making it an especially tough blow. The spokesperson pleaded with drivers to "please be aware of our wildlife" as traffic flow increases with the tourist season kicking in, fearing this is the first of many "more casualties on the horizon". Speed limits along the road which connects the town of Tully to Mission Beach, reach as high as 100kph in some parts, prompting calls from some local residents to drastically alter rules around speed in the region. "Drivers just need to slow down and watch out for wildlife," one local resident said, with others echoing this call. Earlier this year, NRMA released details of its Wildlife Collision Hotspots across Australia — with 12,100 claims related to cases of animals being hit by cars in 2024. The statistic makes the last 12 months the second worst in the past five years. Data revealed that the most common time for incidents to occur is in autumn and winter when days are shorter, cooler and nocturnal animals are more active. Worryingly, incidents jumped by 25 per cent between March and April last year. Sadly, there is another issue impacting cassowary populations. They are being fed by humans, causing them to cross roads "more frequently than necessary" for an easy meal. Authorities have repeatedly pleaded with tourists and residents to never feed or interact with the wild animals. The birds have been seen brazenly entering camper's tents, indicating that it has become habituated to receiving food from humans. In another incident, wild footage emerged of a cassowary chasing after a woman with a McDonald's Big Mac, renewing the pleas to steer clear of the world's most dangerous animal. DETSI said that visitors and residents can help reserve wild populations of cassowaries in the following ways: Never approach cassowaries. Never approach chicks – male cassowaries will defend them. Never feed cassowaries – it is illegal and can be dangerous for the birds and for humans. Always discard food scraps in closed bins and ensure compost bins have secure lids. Always slow down when driving in cassowary territory. Never stop your vehicle to look at cassowaries on the road. Keep dogs behind fences or on a leash. Cassowary sightings in north Queensland should be reported to QPWS by calling 1300 130 372. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
