Strategic projects

The following projects are now completed, however their outputs and learning outcomes live on to continuously improve Council’s Biosecurity program. 

Beefing up Braidwood

This project developed a local weed management plan to protect the Braidwood grazing industry, helped develop integrated weed management plans for 50 properties, and supported strategic weed control to help drought-affected farmers. This project was funded by the Commonwealth Government as part of the Communities Combating Pests and Weeds Impacts During Drought program. 

The project won Division B of the Local Government NSW Excellence in Environment Award for Invasive Species Management in 2020.

Short video

• Beefing up Braidwood 

More information

• Braidwood Grazing Industry Weed Management Plan(PDF, 1MB)  

Weed risk assessment by locality

This project applied the NSW Weed Risk Management System for nearly 100 priority weeds at 764 localities across south east NSW. This information helped develop the list of regional priority weeds and their control requirements across south east NSW in the current regional weeds plan. The project won the Local Government NSW Excellence in Environment Award for Invasive Species Management in 2016/17.

Weed mapping from drones

In January 2016 the former Palerang Council became the first local Council in Australia to obtain an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operator’s Certificate from CASA. This initiative was driven by the weed management team which has continued to develop this capacity to map weeds from high resolution aerial imagery. The project won the Local Government NSW Excellence in Environment Award for Invasive Species Management in 2015/16. 

Weed inspection priority mapping

The former Palerang Council developed a spatial analysis approach to prioritising weed inspections to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations. The project won the Local Government NSW Excellence in Environment Award for Weed Management in 2012/13. Council was subsequently contracted by the regional weeds committee to develop an objective and regionally-consistent inspection program for the 2015-20 South East Weeds Action Program. This mapping was recognised by the Local Government NSW Excellence in Environment Award for Weed Management in 2014/15.

PROJECT IN PROGRESS – WATCH THIS SPACE! 

This project is educating weed officers and the general public on the threat posed by Ox-eye daisy across south east NSW. There are less than 20 infestations known across the region, and while most of them are quite small this escaped garden plant has infested a large area in Kosciusko National Park and across a grazing property north of Goulburn. There is a risk that this is a sleeper weed and if the smaller infestations are not brought under control they may explode at some time in the future. This project has been assisted by the NSW Government through its Environmental Trust.

Short video

• Keeping an eye on Ox-eye daisy

PROJECT IN PROGRESS – WATCH THIS SPACE!

We’re taking the NSW Government’s No Space 4 Weeds campaign and making it personal! This online tool will deliver weeds information as relevant as possible to individual property owners and managers. It should be ready for public access late 2020 and will feature:

• Map and address-based search to find your property;
• List of priority weeds and control requirements to meet the general biosecurity duty, as assessed for your locality;
• Information on any priority assets that may occur on or adjacent your property which may require additional control requirements to protect them from weeds;
• Information and schedules on Council’s weed control and surveillance activities in your locality;
• Design to allow the addition of other local environmental information over time. 

This project has been supported by NSW Department of Primary Industries and South East Local Land Services through the Weeds Action Program.

Short Video

• No Space 4 Weeds @ My Place

PROJECT IN PROGRESS – WATCH THIS SPACE! 

Gorse is an invasive spiny shrub, State priority weed and Weed of National Significance. The Upper Shoalhaven valley is within the regional exclusion zone where the plant should be eradicated wherever possible. The biosecurity matter is mainly spread by water and two infestations adjacent to high priority watercourses will be targeted. 

An educational program will be developed around the ‘Gorsebusters’ theme and promotion across the valley commenced, with potential broader expansion across the region and beyond. Targeted intensive surveys will be completed along 20km of difficult access riparian areas, supported by specialist equipment and skilled operators. A local incursion plan will be developed to cover the potential impact areas for the each of the two infestations. Any new plants found will be controlled and processes established to ensure ongoing commitments to achieve localised eradication. 

This project has been supported by NSW Department of Primary Industries and South East Local Land Services through the Weeds Action Program. 

Short video

• Gorsebusters – Search and Destroy

PROJECT IN PROGRESS – WATCH THIS SPACE! 

Fireweed is a fast-growing invasive weed that impacts pastures and native grasslands/woodlands. It is a State priority weed and Weed of National Significance. The Googong locality is within the regional exclusion zone where the plant should be eradicated wherever possible. After being introduced into the new Googong township development, it now threatens adjacent Critically Endangered Box Gum Ecological Community and habitat for threatened species. 

An education program will be developed around a ‘Put out the Fireweed’ or similar theme in collaboration with the Googong development promotional team, who already actively promote the natural landscape, targeting residents and development contractors. There will be intensive surveys and control of plants on public land. A local incursion plan will be developed for longer term management of the infestation, incorporating a rapid response plan if the weed is detected in the natural reserve areas. 

This project has been supported by NSW Department of Primary Industries and South East Local Land Services through the Weeds Action Program. 

Short video

• Eradicating Fireweed
• Put out the Fireweed in Googong

PROJECT IN PROGRESS – WATCH THIS SPACE! 

This project will review the economic output from major primary agricultural activities across south east NSW, map important agricultural land and estimate the economic impacts of weeds on agriculture. Priority economic assets will be identified for more intensive protection from weed invasion. 

This project has been supported by NSW Department of Primary Industries and South East Local Land Services through the Weeds Action Program. 

Short video

• Protecting priority economic assets

PROJECT IN PROGRESS – WATCH THIS SPACE! 

Council staff are working closely with environmental consultant Dr Paul Downey to consolidate a single map of potential priority environmental assets across south east NSW. Specifically, these are sites with rare native species and ecological communities that are threatened with extinction by weed invasion. Once validated and prioritised, the most important sites will have asset protection weed management plans developed. They will then be inspected more frequently to ensure the impacts of widespread weeds are being continuously managed. 

This project has been supported by NSW Department of Primary Industries and South East Local Land Services through the Weeds Action Program. 

Short video

• Protecting priority environmental assets

Council works with other government agencies to improve weed management outcomes on-ground. In particular, where priority weeds or priority asset sites are identified that require management planning and control works then support funding is sought and collaborative agreements developed to achieve long term reductions in impacts. This often results in Council’s biosecurity team being contracted to provide expert local survey and weed control services on public land not owned or managed by Council. 

Each year Council identifies parcels of Crown land (owned by the NSW State Government) in the Queanbeyan-Palerang region with priority environmental assets threatened by weeds. We then apply on behalf of the Crown land manager for funding to manage the weeds through the annual Crown Reserves Improvement Fund Program.