Choosing the Right Buffalo Turf for Your Melbourne Home: Instant Turf Melbourne’s Expert Guide

At Instant Turf Melbourne, we know that creating a healthy, beautiful lawn starts with choosing the right grass variety for your property and lifestyle. For many Melbourne homeowners, Buffalo turf continues to be the top choice — and for good reason. Its broad, soft leaves, impressive drought tolerance, and ability to perform well in varied conditions make it an ideal fit for our local climate.

As Melbourne’s trusted supply-only turf specialists, we deliver premium Buffalo turf straight to your door, ready for you to lay yourself with confidence. Here’s our expert guide to help you understand why Buffalo turf is so popular, what to consider when choosing the best variety, and how to make the most of your new lawn.

Why Buffalo Turf is a Melbourne Favourite

Buffalo turf has earned its reputation as one of Australia’s best lawn varieties — especially here in Victoria. Here’s why so many families, landscapers and gardeners trust it:

Buffalo Grass
  •     Soft and Family-Friendly: With its broad, cushioned leaves, Buffalo turf feels great under bare feet — perfect for kids and pets to enjoy.
  •     Excellent Drought Tolerance: Melbourne’s weather can be unpredictable, but Buffalo turf is designed to handle dry periods and bounce back well.
  •     Reliable Shade Tolerance: Many Buffalo varieties thrive in shaded spots, making them a smart choice for gardens with trees, fences, or shaded corners.
  •     Natural Weed Resistance: Its thick, dense growth helps suppress weeds naturally, cutting down on the need for chemical treatments.
  •     Lower Maintenance: Compared to finer grasses, Buffalo lawns generally require less mowing and are forgiving if you occasionally fall behind on yard work.

What to Consider Before Choosing Your Buffalo Turf

Before placing your turf order with us, it’s important to match the right Buffalo variety to your site conditions and how you use your yard. Here are three key things to keep in mind:

  1. Sunlight Exposure

Sunlight is one of the biggest factors for any turf’s success.

  •     Full Sun (6+ hours daily): Most Buffalo grasses thrive in full sun.
  •     Partial Shade (3–6 hours daily): Buffalo outperforms most warm-season grasses in moderate shade, making it versatile for Melbourne’s mixed yards.
  •     Heavy Shade (under 3 hours daily): While Buffalo is better than most for shade, very dense shade may limit its growth. For year-round heavy shade, you might consider synthetic turf or shade-tolerant groundcovers.
  1. Foot Traffic and Use

Think about how you plan to use your lawn:

  •     Low Traffic: If your lawn is mostly for looks, almost any Buffalo variety will suit.
  •     Moderate to High Traffic: For families with pets, kids, or active outdoor living, choose a tougher Buffalo with quick self-repair.
  1. Look and Feel

All Buffalo turf has broad blades, but there are subtle differences in colour and texture:

  •     Do you prefer a darker or mid-green lawn?
  •     Do you want the softest feel possible for kids to play on?
  •     How much time do you want to spend maintaining it?

Our Top Buffalo Varieties for Melbourne

Here at Instant Turf Melbourne, we supply four premium Buffalo turf varieties that deliver great results across Melbourne’s unique conditions:

Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo

Why homeowners love it: Sir Walter is Australia’s benchmark for Buffalo turf. It’s reliable, versatile, and tough — with excellent drought tolerance and shade tolerance up to 70%. Its self-repairing growth and dense cover help keep weeds out naturally.

Perfect for: Almost any backyard. Sir Walter is the go-to all-rounder for Melbourne homes with kids, pets and mixed sunlight conditions.

Palmetto Buffalo

Why it stands out: Palmetto has a rich, deep green colour and is known for handling dry conditions exceptionally well. It’s slightly less shade-tolerant than Sir Walter in dense shade but makes up for it with strong disease resistance and durability.

Perfect for: Homeowners who love a vibrant green lawn and want drought resilience without fuss.

Sapphire Soft Leaf Buffalo

Why it’s unique: Sapphire is renowned for its finer leaf texture, which makes it one of the softest Buffalo varieties underfoot. It holds its colour well through winter and copes well with partial shade.

Perfect for: Families who want the softest possible lawn to enjoy barefoot and a lawn that stays greener longer in Melbourne’s cooler months.

Prestige Buffalo

Why it’s popular: Prestige is a newer generation Buffalo that’s prized for its exceptionally deep green colour and impressive shade tolerance. It recovers well from wear and handles Melbourne’s varied conditions with ease.

Perfect for: Yards with significant shade challenges or homeowners wanting the deepest green Buffalo available.

Tips for Laying Your Buffalo Turf

Once you’ve chosen your Buffalo variety, laying your new lawn yourself can be straightforward and rewarding. Our Instant Turf Melbourne team always recommends:

  •     Prepare Well: Clear debris, level the area, and enrich the soil if needed.
  •     Lay Promptly: Lay turf rolls tightly together in a staggered pattern.
  •     Water Thoroughly: Water immediately after laying and keep the soil consistently moist until the lawn establishes.
  •     Care for Growth: Mow lightly once roots are established and enjoy your lush new lawn!

Delivered Straight to Your Door

At Instant Turf Melbourne, we make it easy for you to transform your yard. We supply only premium Buffalo turf, delivered Melbourne-wide — so you can lay it yourself and create a beautiful, resilient lawn that will thrive for years to come.

Ready to get started? Contact us today and let Instant Turf Melbourne help you create the perfect Buffalo lawn for your home