Ready to burn

By Casey Neill
A BELGRAVE Heights man fears a neighbouring property is a fiery inferno waiting to happen.
David Fallon and his fiancee moved into their Mount Morton Road home in August last year.
He said the house next door had been unoccupied for at least eight years and was close to collapse.
The yard is overgrown with grass, blackberries and other plants and is a rodent breeding ground.
“There’s trees and stuff growing out of the gutters in there,” he said.
“I haven’t got the tools to mow that, it’s just too thick.”
Mr Fallon said he called Yarra Ranges Council about the mess shortly after moving in and staff mowed the block last December.
“That’s it. That’s all they’ve done,” he said.
“And we haven’t stopped complaining about it ever since, just because of the fires that came through.
“We keep getting all these messages about being fire safe but they won’t do anything to help anyone. What are we supposed to do?”
Mr Fallon said he was concerned a cable from powerlines to the house’s deteriorating facia was still live.
“So if that fascia was to fall down, we’ve got an instant fire next door,” he said.
“And then who’s to blame? No one’s here and the council won’t take the blame for it.”
He said rubbish from the block was clogging street drains and had damaged his driveway.
“It’s just getting harder and harder because it grows so quick as well,” he said.
“Through the spring, a bit of wind blows the seeds, some rain then some sun, what have you got? You’ve got grass on steroids.”
Mr Fallon said he was also worried that squatters might find the house and he has held his breath during recent storms.
“I don’t think the structure’s sound. I’m a carpenter by trade and I don’t think it will last. The roof, I can tell, is about to fall in,” he said.
“And it’s just an eyesore, it demotes my property.”
Mr Fallon has tried to track down the land’s owner and is calling on the council for help.
“I just want answers,” he said.
“Who’s the owner? I’ll do the rest. If they’re not going to do anything, just help me, point me in the right direction.”
Yarra Ranges Council spokesman James Martin said the shire investigated the complaint and issued a notice to clean up the property on 20 November.
“The property owner is required to cut all grass, weeds and blackberries to a height no greater than 100millimetres,” he said.
“The owner has until 13 December to comply otherwise the council will arrange for a contractor to undertake the clean up and will then bill the owner.”
Mr Martin said the council had previously investigated complaints of vermin on the property in September 2007 and November 2008.
“Action was taken on both occasions,” he said.