GOOD NEWS FOLLOWS CHILEAN NEEDLE GRASS SURVEY

Survey results have revealed on-ground measures have halted the spread of the declared pest weed Chilean Needle Grass, Natural Resources Minister Craig Wallace said today.

The Class 1 weed was discovered in isolated pockets in Clifton, Warwick and Cambooya Shires nearly two years ago.

Mr Wallace said a special working group involving Queensland Government, local government and landholders had been working to eliminate it from the region ever since.

“There were fears it had entered a number of waterways and could have been transported downstream into a whole range of new areas,” Mr Wallace said.

“This weed is one of Australia’s worst and if it had established a foothold on the Darling Downs it would have been a catastrophe as it out-competes natural grasses,” he said.

“The latest survey has revealed it is not as widespread as we first thought, however, landholders need to remain vigilant as we continue the push to eliminate it from Queensland entirely.”

Chilean Needle Grass is listed as a Weed of National Significance (WoNS) due to its invasive nature, potential for spread and potential economic and environmental impacts.

Department of Natural Resources and Water land protection officer Pedro Hodgson urged landholders to report any strange grasses in their paddocks. The plant will begin to flower with the onset of summer rains and higher temperatures.

“We have begun to implement a number of on-the-ground measures,” Mr Hodgson said.

“All the known spots have been marked with a GPS (Global Positioning System) and a letterbox campaign has taken place to alert landholders to what the weed looks like.”

“The plant will begin to appear after the start of the summer rain season and flower in early to mid-summer,” he said.

The plant can be identified through its sharp, pointed seeds and is a perennial tussock-forming grass growing in dense clumps. Without grazing it can grow to about one metre.

The flowering seed heads are a distinctive purple colour and the seeds are sharp at the point. Leaves are 1-5mm wide, flat and strongly ribbed on their upper surface with leaf edges that are rough to touch.

An unusual feature is that in addition to the normal flower seeds, it produces ‘hidden’ seeds at the base of flowering stem, which are self-fertilised and account for about one quarter of total seed production.

Mr Hodgson said landholders would immediately feel the economic impacts of the weed if it was allowed to spread.

An estimated average annual cost of controlling Chilean Needle Grass was between $60 and $120 per hectare depending on whether the infestation was scattered or dense, he said.

“Rehabilitation of infested land is very difficult requiring herbicide application with physical removal, crop rotation, pasture sowing and grazing management.

“If you are not sure about the identification of the plant, contact a NRW land protection officer or your local government weeds officer.”

Further information is also available on the NRW website on www.nrm.qld.gov.au/pests

High-resolution photographs available on request.

For further information: South West Region communications officer Chris Leslight on 4688 1412 or 0417 071 772.

Minister’s media contact: Paul Childs 0407 131 654 or paul.childs@ministerial.qld.gov.au