Community & Business
13 December, 2024
Treatment making its mark on weeds
QUICK action at Chinaman and Atherton Creeks, as well as the northern section of Bicentennial Lakes, was having an impact on the spread of Amazon Frogbit in the Mareeba shire.
The aquatic invasive weed was “incredibly resilient and is easily carried by birds to new locations”, Chair of the Pest Management Advisory Committee (PMAC) Cr Ross Cardillo told a council meeting, but the treatment in place was seeing good results.
Presenting the minutes of the PMAC meeting, which highlighted the work Council had undertaken over the past 12 months, he said the floating plant, which was likely introduced to the area from a fish tank or private pond, “smothers waterways, blocks irrigation, and reduces oxygen levels in the water, negatively impacting other animal and plant species”.
Council held an Amazon Frogbit session as part of the FNQROC Wet Tropics Biosecurity Roadshow last month, where PMAC members were invited to observe the progress of the Amazon Frogbit treatment at Bicentennial Lakes.
The PMAC provided council with strategic guidance on regional pest management, which included reviewing the Mareeba Shire Community Biosecurity Plan, prioritising invasive species, sharing knowledge, and identifying funding opportunities.
“The PMAC meeting is an excellent opportunity for stakeholders, government agencies, experts, and other local councils to collaborate and discuss biosecurity risks in our region,” Cr Cardillo said.
The PMAC reported that over the past year, council had responded to 76 requests on pest management.
Cr Cardillo also told the meeting that deer had now been added to the list of pests, as an introduced species.
There was a reduction in Bellyache Bush in Koah over the past 12 months.
Siam Weed was treated in Watsonville, Petford, Mt Molloy, and Julatten, with another site in Mt Carbine still undergoing treatment.
Thunbergia sites in Kuranda and Julatten were surveyed and mapped, with the latter site currently undergoing treatment.
Giant Rat’s Tail Grass and Gamba Grass were also treated along the roadside throughout the shire.
