The Australian backyard lawn has been mown on weekend mornings for generations, and the mower in the shed has changed more in the past decade than in the fifty years before. Battery mowers now rival petrol on many suburban lawns, robots trim grass on their own, and ride-ons have become common on bigger blocks. Lawn Mower Guide is an independent information site that helps you choose, use and look after a mower, and mow in a way your lawn will thank you for. We don't sell mowers, and we base safety, noise and lawn care facts on official Australian sources.
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Most to cut in one mow
Turf Queensland
30–50mm
Buffalo and kikuyu
Townsville City Council fact sheet
Under 16
Shouldn't drive a ride-on
ACCC Product Safety Australia
Choosing a mower
The best mower is the one that suits your lawn. Our choosing a mower section compares petrol and battery mowers on power, run time, noise and upkeep, explains what to know before buying a ride-on mower, including the rollover risk on slopes, looks at whether robot mowers suit your yard, and gives you a checklist for buying a second-hand mower.
Mower care and safety
A little maintenance keeps a mower starting first time and cutting cleanly. Our mower care section walks you through servicing a petrol mower at home, sharpening and balancing blades, the habits that help you mow safely, and how to charge and store mower batteries without creating a fire risk.
Lawn care
How you mow shapes how your lawn grows. Our lawn care section gives mowing heights for Australian grasses, explains mowing in heat and drought, sets out mower noise rules and permitted hours in NSW and Victoria, and helps you decide whether to mulch, catch or compost clippings.
Try the mowing height planner
Not sure how low to go? Our free planner uses the recommended height ranges in Townsville City Council's lawn species fact sheet for buffalo, kikuyu, couch, zoysia, manila, seashore paspalum and carpet grass. Choose your grass, enter how tall it is now, and tick the box if it's hot, dry or shaded. The planner suggests a target height, shows the lowest you should cut this time under Turf Queensland's one-third rule, and counts how many mows it will take to get there. It's a guide only: varieties differ, and it ignores regrowth between mows.
A few principles
Mow higher than you think. Scalped lawns dry out, brown off and let weeds in. The Queensland Government advises keeping lawns at least 3cm high and avoiding the hottest part of the day.
Never take off more than a third. Turf Queensland's one-third rule protects the grass. If the lawn has got away from you, bring it down over several mows.
Keep the blade sharp. A clean cut means the lawn loses less water, as the Queensland Government notes. A blunt blade tears grass and leaves brown tips.
Disconnect before you touch. Pull the spark plug lead or remove the battery before reaching near the blade. Most mower injuries are preventable.
Charge batteries safely. Fire and Rescue NSW advises charging lithium-ion batteries on a hard, non-flammable surface away from living areas and exits, and not overnight or while you're out.
Respect the neighbours. In NSW, power garden tools shouldn't be heard in a neighbour's home before 8am or after 8pm on weekends and public holidays, or before 7am or after 8pm on other days.
Who we are
Lawn Mower Guide is written for home owners, renters and DIY gardeners across Australia. We write every guide in our own words and list our sources on each page, drawing on the ACCC's Product Safety Australia, WorkSafe Victoria, state environment protection authorities, Fire and Rescue NSW, the Queensland Government, councils and Turf Queensland. We never invent statistics, prices or testimonials, and we don't rank brands. We're not affiliated with any mower brand, retailer or repairer, or with any previous operator of this domain. Read more about us and our editorial policy.
