← Back to blog

Sunshine Coast grass types: a quick guide to caring for each one

Aerial view of a Sunshine Coast property with established lawn

Most Sunshine Coast lawns are one of three grasses — couch, buffalo, or kikuyu. They look similar at a glance but want very different care. Knowing which one you've got is the first step to a lawn that actually thrives.

Couch. The tight-knit dark-green carpet you see on older homes around Buderim and Maroochydore. Loves heat, hates shade, runs sideways via underground stems. Cut it short — 20–30mm — and mow weekly through summer or it shocks easily.

Buffalo (Sir Walter and similar). Broad-leaf, soft underfoot, far more shade-tolerant than couch. Wants a higher cut — 40–50mm — and a slower mow cadence. Fortnightly through the growing season works well.

Kikuyu. Coarser leaf, fastest grower of the three. Common on rural blocks, acreage, and older inner-Coast homes. Mow at 30–40mm. If you let it run past 100mm, it lays down and tangles — a nightmare to bring back without scalping.

Watering: couch needs the most, buffalo the least. Deep weekly watering (15–20mm) beats daily light watering for all three — drives roots down and builds drought tolerance.

Not sure what you've got? Send us a photo. We'll tell you, suggest a height and cadence, and quote the right service for that lawn — no scalping, no upselling.

Ready for a lawn that always looks tidy?

Same-week bookings on most jobs. Quotes are free, on-site visits are free, and we'll match the schedule to your lawn — not the other way around.

0413 900 660 or request a quote online