Bridal creeper is a Declared Weed under the Tasmanian Weed Management Act 1999 and is a high priority for the Southern Tasmanian Weed Strategy.
Currently it is found at a limited number of sites across the region. Bridal creeper entered Australia as a garden plant in the 1870s.
With its spray of white flowers and tear drop-shaped leaves, bridal creeper was a favourite for wedding bouquets. The marriage went terribly wrong! Bridal creeper is now a Weed of National Significance and is regarded as one of Australia’s 20 worst weeds.
It invades coastal areas, creeklines, wet and dry forests, irrigated citrus orchards and pine plantations.
It out-competes understorey species and seedling trees with its carpet of thick lush foliage and can also climb and eventually smother taller plants.
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The STCA welcomes Margie Jenkin as part time Project Officer (fixed term until the end of November 2009).
Margie will be progressing nationally strategic control in Southern Tasmania of Boneseed (Chrysanthemoides monilifera) and Asparagus weeds, including Bridal creeper (Asparagus asparagoides) and Asparagus fern (Asparagus scandens).
Over the past five years, Margie has worked as a Ranger on Maria Island with Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service, and in Wellington Park with the Wellington Park Management Trust. She has a keen interest in habitat restoration, and welcomes the opportunity to practice her passion for weed control!
This project aims to contract Boneseed containment lines into core areas, and to map and treat all Asparagus Weed infestations in Southern Tasmania.
These treatments will enrol local councils, private landowners, community groups and contractors. Public awareness and training opportunities will also be developed to heighten weed recognition and best practices for control.
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St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a Declared Weed under the Weed Management Act 1999 and is a high priority weed for the Southern NRM Region in Tasmania. St John’s wort aggressively invades roadsides, pastures, grasslands, woodlands, railway lines, forestry areas and riverbanks. Now is the best time to keep your eye out along roadsides and in paddocks for this serious weed.
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The Weeds Wall Chart is a new weed education tool aimed at giving farmers, life stylers and other land managers a simple to use guide to controlling many of our agricultural weeds in Tasmania.
The project is a partnership between the STCA, NRM South, NRM North, Cradle Coast NRM, DPIW and TFGA.
For copies please call Sandy Leighton, Project Manager Weeds on 03 6270 2242 or email
You can download a PDF copy as well for reference.
The Southern Tasmanian Councils Authority is seeking a Project Officer to implement the Progressing nationally strategic control of Boneseed and Asparagus Weeds (WoNS) in Southern Tasmania project.
This project is funded by the Australian Government Caring for our Country initiative.
We are seeking a highly motivated person with proven integrated weed and project management experience and negotiation skills to take on this challenging role.
Download the Position Description and Background paper for further information, including Selection Criteria.
Applications must address the Selection Criteria and be forwarded by COB 29 December 2008 and emailed to Project Manager, Weeds or posted to
Project Manager, Weeds
Southern Tasmanian Councils Authority
GPO Box 503E
Hobart Tasmania 7001
Paterson’s Curse (Echium plantagineum) is identified as a priority weed for the southern region. Paterson’s Curse affects pastures, parks, rural land and suburban blocks through lower rainfall areas of southern Tasmania.
Nearly 700 infestations are recorded in the state, however many of these are small and discrete.
Paterson’s Curse is an economically significant competitor of pasture and is toxic to stock, particularly horses if eaten in excess.
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Late last year STCA, with funding support from NRM South and the Australian Government, awarded grants to 11 organisations and community groups.
These grants have been the catalyst for purchasing a variety of weed management equipment and developing several area-specific weed management plans.
By increasing capacity for weed management in the southern natural resource management region of Tasmania, STCA has made considerable progress with implementing the Southern Tasmanian Weed Strategy (2005 2010), in addition to hosting the Project Manager Weeds.
Outcomes include:
- 4 mobile washdown units
- 3 portable spray units
- equiping 2 community group trailers in Sorell and Clarence plus restocking weeding gear for Friends of Maria Island
- developing Weed Management Plans for Hobart College (Mt Nelson Campus), Channel area of Kingborough Council, Egg Islands, Ridgeway Reserve
- developing Tasman Council Roadside Weed Action Plans
- weed mapping in Coningham Nature Recreation Area
An environmental group has turned to rock-climbing expertise to rid Tasmania’s coast of a noxious weed.
Boneseed is a South African plant that has infested large parts of the state, including the north, east and south coasts.
Bush regenerators at Dodges Ferry, east of Hobart, are using abseiling equipment to remove the last vestiges of the weed from a cliff face.
The project’s manager, Sandy Leighton, says boneseed a weed of national significance.
“It’s one of those 20 weeds because of its invasiveness, its impact on all of the biodiversity that we have around our coastal areas and also its potential to keep spreading. So it’s very very easy to spread,” she said.
Ms Leighton says clearing the cliff is essential to eradicate the invasive weed.
“The stuff on a cliff, although it grows slower, it does produce seed and the birds again can transplant it or transport it ’round.
“So if we do work in reserves or in areas to clean up the boneseed, we really need to pick up all of the plants.”
The Southern Tasmanian Councils Authority has recently appointed Sandy Leighton as the new Project Manager Southern Tasmanian Weed Strategy, replacing Jonah Gouldthorpe.
Sandy has a passion for engaging anyone and everyone in weed management, from raising awareness and skills, to identifying gaps and exploring possibilities for partnerships, knowledge and infrastructure sharing all with the ultimate aim of achieving on-ground results.
Starting out in life as an entomologist Sandy crossed over to weeds about 13 years ago whilst working as a consultant on the Meander Valley ragwort biocontrol program.
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Now is the best time to treat thistles (except Californian). Once thistle seed germinates it forms a seedling or ‘rosette’.
Searching for and treating rosettes now will save you a lot of time, money and worry as you will be destroying the plants before they mature, flower and produce more seeds next summer and autumn.
In Tasmania we have a variety of thistles including Spear, Slender, Nodding, Californian, Variegated, Cotton, Saffron and Milk thistles.
Thistles impact on pasture grasses and crops in agricultural areas and also in disturbed areas on roadsides and conservation areas.
They also invade the home garden. Seeds germinate mainly after the autumn rains but a few shoot at other times when adequate moisture is available.
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