First published 16 Nov 2026, 4:30am
An Aussie pensioner has revealed the clever household hack helping keep her lawn green without blowing the budget, as rising water bills force Australians to rethink how they care for their gardens.
Ann Maree, 60, from Kambalda East near Kalgoorlie in WA, has transformed her once-dead backyard into a lush green lawn by redirecting grey water from her washing machine on to the grass instead of letting it go to waste.
Her efforts have earned national attention, with the grandmother now ranked among Australia’s top contenders in the Yates National Gardening League Australian Lawn Challenge, where green thumbs are competing for a $5000 prize.
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Originally from New Zealand, Ms Maree said adapting to life in WA’s Goldfields had been a steep learning curve over the past 14 years.
Ann Maree’s has transformed her lawn and garden into a green oasis with some simple and inexpensive hacks.
“When the temperatures hit 45 degrees in summer it gets very dry and you can feel the ground just crunch under your feet,” she told Perth Now.
“Soil preparation and deep watering are very important so the lawn can cope in that scorching heat. No one wants to be looking at a brown lawn and dying garden bed.”
But in a region where water is scarce, Ms Maree said she had little choice but to get creative.
“Out here in Kambalda East, water is just as valuable as the gold we are famous for,” she said.
“I’m very water conscious, nothing goes to waste, even the grey water from the washing machine gets piped out on to the lawn instead of going down the sink.
“A top-loading washing machine can use up to 170 litres of water per cycle … you just have to make sure you use a detergent that’s labelled as being ‘greywater safe’.”
Her budget-friendly approach comes as Australians are being hit with rising water costs.
Fresh data shows the average water bill nationally is about $217 a quarter, or roughly $870 a year, though the amount varies depending on location and usage.
In Victoria, the Essential Services Commission also recently approved price rises across all 18 water businesses, increasing typical owner-occupier bills by an average of $73 a year in metropolitan Melbourne and $68 a year in regional Victoria.
In the ACT, typical combined water and sewerage bills rose by 6.3 per cent this financial year, adding about $91 annually and taking the average annual bill to $1531.
In south east Queensland, Urban Utilities lifted its typical household water and sewerage bill by 1.7 per cent, or about $28 a year, softened by a freeze on the State Bulk Water charge.
For homeowners hoping to save money without sacrificing their gardens, Ms Maree said an expensive set-up was unnecessary.
She says keeping a garden looking lush didn’t need to be expensive.
“You don’t need an expensive set-up, I have a Yates click and grow lawn care system that clicks into the trigger of my hose and sprays and costs less than $50 at Bunnings,” she said.
“Whether I’m using a soil improver or something like Seasol or a weed and feed, there’s no measuring out complicated doses and it’s waterwise.”
According to Bunnings, a 10m grey water hose also only costs as little as $27.46 and can be installed to washing machines or even bathtubs.
Other low-cost ways Australians can keep lawns looking healthy include collecting shower water in a bucket, harvesting rainwater, mowing higher to help reduce evaporation, leaving fine clippings on the lawn as mulch, and watering early in the morning instead of during the heat of the day.
Despite facing off against gardening diehards who measure their blades of grass with a ruler, Ms Maree believes the harsh Goldfields climate could work in her favour.
“This year judges are looking for the transformation and improving your lawn,” she said.
“Considering where I live, I think that’s a competitive advantage.”
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