Weeds

Weed Overview

Nambucca Valley Council is an active member of the North Coast Regional Weeds Committee which is a combined group of all local government or County Council agencies in the North Coast region of NSW. The overall goals of this group is to deliver on ground weed control, surveillance, mapping and training projects targeted at the priority weeds listed for the North coast in the above links and deliver the goals and outcomes of the North Coast Strategic Weed Management Plan. This is achieved by funding from state government agencies such as Department of Industries and North Coast Local Land services and in kind works from individual Local Government agencies.

Weeds within the Nambucca Valley Council have the potential to pose a serious threat to our natural environment, farm productivity and health of the community.  The Nambucca Valley is approximately 1500 square kilometres in size and contains many different species of pest plant species that comprise both agricultural and environmental weeds.  A list of weeds that pose a threat to lands within the Valley can be found on the NSW WeedWise website.

Biosecurity Policy

The Biosecurity policy of the Nambucca Valley Council is to meet the requirements of Councils own General Biosecurity Duty and the necessary action required of Local Government Authorities (LGA’s) as outlined in the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 and associated regulations. Council, acting as the Local Control Authority (LCA), within the LGA has a responsibility imposed on them by the state of NSW to ensure that all plants declared to pose a biosecurity risk within the Nambucca Valley and the North Coast are controlled according to their category under the General Biosecurity Duty of all land owners. Weeds are currently classified into categories from Prevention, Eradication, Containment and Asset Protection, with differing control requirements according to their category, location within the North Coast LLS region and prevalence within individual LGA’s. A comprehensive list of weeds can be found on the NSW WeedWise website.  There are many other plants not on this list that occur within the Valley that are considered Environmental weeds. Some of these are listed in the North Coast Regional Strategic plan as weeds species of additional concern and to be managed in an asset protection manner. This plan also indicates the LGA’s that are within core infestation areas or exclusion zones for specific weed species.

 

Private land owners or occupiers of land have General Biosecurity Duty and are required under the Biosecurity Act 2015 to control any weeds that pose a biosecurity threat which maybe present on their property.  The Nambucca Valley Council’s Authorised officers provide advice on weed identification and management techniques, carries out regular property inspections and enforces the control requirements as prescribed within the Biosecurity Act 2015 and North Coast Regional Strategic Plan.

Our goals:

  • Plan strategic weed management programs for valued environmental and agricultural assets
  • Implement education, training and publicity of the Biosecurity Act and North Coast Regional strategic plan.
  • Implement control programs for Weeds that pose a biosecurity threat on Council managed land
  • Integrate control programs with other stakeholder’s activities within the region
  • Conduct systematic surveys and inspections of private and public lands
  • Maintain records and report to the state government on varying species distribution and abundance, using the Biosecurity information system (BIS) metadata standards to contribute towards a state wide Weed Information Database.
  • To work in partnership and assist in co-ordination and implementation of localised weed management plans, including control programs of private landowners, Councils and other Government, Non-government and not for profit organisations.
  • Implement the required aspects of the Biosecurity Act 2015 and the North Coast Regional strategic plan.

Council’s Activities Property Inspections

Routine inspections of businesses, rural and urban properties within the Nambucca Valley are conducted regularly to assess the presence, distribution and abundance of priority weeds.  Property owners/occupiers will be provided with information on identification and control techniques if requested.  Where property owners/occupiers have insufficient weed management programs in place a weed identification letter will be issued.  If insufficient control is undertaken in the time frame that is stated on the weed identification letter, an individual Biosecurity Direction will be issued under Section 128 of the Biosecurity Act 2015. Failure to comply with the requirements of an Individual Biosecurity Direction has the potential to lead to on the spot fines or council/ contractors entering the lands and undertaking the required actions stated in the Individual Biosecurity Direction and then issuing a cost recovery order to the landholder under section 133 of the Biosecurity Act 2015.

Roadside Weed Management

Council is responsible for the control of weeds on roadsides and other public lands under its management, which is constrained by funding availability. Nambucca Valley Council follows the approved Roadside Vegetation Management Policy(PDF, 477KB) .

Aquatic Weed Management

Council is responsible for aquatic weeds on council managed water bodies. 

Community Information

Council is responsible to inform the community about weeds and owners/occupiers’ responsibilities to control them.

Declaration

Council is responsible for monitoring changing plant status in the environment and determining whether a biosecurity threat is occurring and the best approach to managing these changes.  The Minister for Agriculture is responsible for declaring weeds. Council’s role is to recommend declarations, where appropriate, to the Minister, through the NSW DPI Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) process. WRA’s may be undertaken but the declaration of weeds into certain categories is determined by State government

Advice

Council staff provide information, within their capability, on weed management issues.  This may be done during routine property inspections, by phone and email or at field days and other activities involving Council staff.  Please contact council if you would like Councils Authorised officers to attend your property for identification and management advice.

Cooperative Approach

Council works with the Local Lands Services, Landcare, Dunecare and other community groups with regards to assisting the coordination and implementation of weed control programs throughout the Shire.

North Coast Weeds Advisory Committee

Council is an active member of the North Coast Weeds Advisory Committee (NCWAC) which is made up of representatives from Forestry, National Parks, DPI, LLS, RMS, NSW Farmers Land Care NSW Aboriginal Land Council that is responsible for the development of regional weed management plans and whose members also apply for grant funding through the North Coast Local Land Services and DPI.

Plant Identification

For Local information on weeds biology, control, new incursions and councils undertakings please browse the documents below

Please contact Council if you have any concerns over any unfamiliar plants that you encounter and our best efforts will be made to positively identify the plants to ensure that potential weed species do not become established within the area.

Tropical Soda Apple Solanum viarum - APR2020(PDF, 418KB)

Recent fires excite seeds(PDF, 898KB)

To view current Regional plans developed for the NSW North Coast and the state of NSW, that drive the direction and actions of all Local Government Agencies please see the links below.

North Coast Communication and Engagement Regional Plan(PDF, 3MB)
North Coast New Weed Incursion and Rapid Response Regional Plan(PDF, 2MB)
 

 

Contact Details

Green Space Site Leader
Keegan Noble
Phone:  0417 484 906 or (02) 6568 2555
Address:  PO Box 177 Macksville 2447
Email:  keegan.noble@nambucca.nsw.gov.au

Links to related sites:

Australian Government Weeds in Australia - https://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/weeds/

NSW Department of Primary Industries - https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/

Atlas of Living Australia - https://www.ala.org.au/

 

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