The grass trees (Xanthorrhoea) are flowering here at the moment. Usually they have a woody spine covered in small petals that attract bees and insects. Sometimes the flower spines make weird shapes.

I take liberties with your first image.

There's a type of grass we call pompous grass that folk around where I live grow in their yards; looks a lot like these plants, Tas. Don't think they have such a flower as these, though.

wow that's a weird looking plant looks like a white snake

I first thought it was a snake too when I saw it for the first time. Nothing like that around here.

Nice filter dinasset.
Lyle - there is pampas grass here but it's an introduced weed that could take off.

trandoductin and racer-x. Usually these flower spikes are straight but now some of them are going into weird shapes.
It could be a response to the amount of rain or something else?