Hi @sox,
Thank you for your question and welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.
I believe your lawn is either kikuyu or couch, but I can't say which for certain. Since you're looking to repair a damaged patch, I suggest not adding any new seeds to the area and instead using what you already have to promote sideways growth.
Both couch and kikuyu grasses naturally spread sideways using runners—stolons above the ground and rhizomes underground. This growth can be accelerated by using "donor plugs" from other healthy areas in your lawn.
To start, remove as much of the dead material as possible using a Cyclone Timber Handle Long Thatching Rake. This will help aerate the soil and open up space for the runners to grow into.
If you're happy to wait for the grass to grow back naturally, add a layer of Seasol Lawn Top Dress Mix to the bare area. Then, apply Scotts Lawn Builder All Purpose Slow Release Lawn Fertiliser to your whole lawn using a Hand Held Fertiliser Spreader and water everything thoroughly. Continue to water and mow regularly. Regular mowing at a consistent height will encourage the grass to direct more energy into horizontal growth rather than vertical growth.
If you want to speed up the process, you can take donor plugs from other sections of your lawn. Use a narrow shovel, like the Saxon Trenching Shovel With Fibreglass Handle, to cut small square sections from the healthy lawn, ensuring you take the soil and roots with you. Cut a section of soil from the dead area and place your donor plug in the hole. There should be enough soil from each of the holes to transfer as needed, but if necessary, use some of the top dress mix to fill in any gaps. You can do this with several plugs around the damaged area.
Once the plugs are in place, follow the same steps mentioned above.
Let me know what you think.
Jacob
