Working towards Hawkweed eradication

Published on 14 April 2022

Hawkweed

week, Snowy Monaro Regional Council hosted a community season update on the progress of combined Hawkweed Eradication efforts in the region. Representatives from National Parks and Wildlife (NPWS), Snowy Monaro Regional Council (SMRC), Local Land Services (LLS), Tate Animals, and Cropbusters came together to update and inform local landholders of new and exciting advances in weed detection and eradication.

Attendees were treated to a packed schedule, featuring:

  • a live Orange Hawkweed plant used as a close-up Hawkweed identification tutorial
  • results of predictive modelling to identify potential new sites
  • outcomes of intensive ground grid searches
  • summary of drone survey remote detection and machine learning analysis
  • meet, greet and demonstration of weed sniffing with Connor the weed detector dog and animal trainer Steve from Tate Animals
  • contractors Ryan and Michelle from Cropbusters in Cathcart demonstrated aerial spraying hard to reach weeds using their well-equipped drone spray unit

Hawkweed is highly invasive and grows in thick groupings of up to 3800 plants in one square metre. They pose a serious threat to biodiversity and agricultural productivity with the potential to invade landscapes across conservation areas, native grasslands and farmland. The plant can be found in bushland, in pastures, on roadsides and in gardens.

Hawkweed is a serious weed in temperate and subalpine areas of the world. They spread quickly and:

  • Damage conservation lands
  • Reduce agricultural productivity
  • Form dense mats and outcompete other species
  • Reduce native plant numbers
  • Reduce habitat for native animals
  • Send out runners to rapidly expand

It is critical that if you think you’ve found Orange Hawkweed on your property, or anywhere else, that you do not attempt to remove or control the outbreak yourself. Please contact Council or NSW DPI immediately for advice and assistance by calling:

  • Council on 1300 345 345, 24/7 phoneline
  • NSW Biosecurity Helpline on 1800 680 244

In areas as large and sparsely populated as the Snowy Monaro, we rely on community assistance to spot and report these emerging biosecurity threats. Council thanks our attendees, agency partners and everyone in across the region doing their part to keep our region and our state safe from Hawkweed.

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