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The ‘hairy panic’ menacing an Aussie town

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Towering tumbleweed stacks have inundated a town in Victoria’s north-central area, causing residents “physical and mental” hardship.

The weeds, known as “hairy panic grass”, have blanketed homes, cars and driveways, creating havoc for those trying to go about their daily lives.

“Walked out the front door this morning to find a good six-metre spread of tumbleweed across the front of the house — again,” local Jason Perna told the ABC.

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“Two metres high by three metres in diameter that spreads right across the front of the house,” he said. “It makes it difficult to get the car out in the morning — if you can find it.”

Mr Perna said the daily clean up was a chore, but quipped it was “just another day in paradise” for Wangaratta’s citizens.

The local council held an emergency meeting about the problem on Thursday morning.

It is considering sending out street sweepers to help clean up the mess, and is also liaising with the Country Fire Authority.

Mr Perna said the community was “banding together and supporting each other” and taking a philosophical approach to the issue.

“It’s a first-world problem. We don’t put it on the scale of any of the famine or poverty going on in the world,” he said.

Local 7 News reporter Teegan Dolling shared this video of the “hair panic grass” to Twitter:

While this resident was more earnest in her assessment of the grass’s impact on the town.

“It’s physically draining and mentally more draining,” resident Pam Twitchett told 7 News.

The grass has been around for a long time in the area, but a particularly dry summer is believed to have caused it to be more prevalent this year.

Check out more images and video of the ‘hair panic grass’ below:

Tumbleweed MessTumbleweeds are piling up roof high outside homes in Wangaratta. www.7News.com.au#Wangaratta #7News

Posted by 7 News Sydney on Wednesday, 17 February 2016

Photo: Jason Perna

Photo: Jason Perna

Photo: Jason Perna

Photo: Jason Perna

Photo: Jason Perna

Photo: Jason Perna

Photo: Jason Perna

Photo: Jason Perna

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