Biosecurity - Weeds and Legislation
The Biosecurity Act
On 1 July 2017, the Biosecurity Act replaced the Noxious Weeds Act.
Biosecurity is the protection of our economy, environment and community from the negative impacts of pests, diseases, weeds and contaminants. In NSW all plants are regulated with a general biosecurity duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise any biosecurity risk they may pose.
Griffith City Council is committed to maintaining an effective and efficient program to control biosecurity on both private and Council owned land.
Our Biosecurity Officers assist in the management of the vegetation on Council land, roadsides, public and private land by managing biosecurity in accordance with relevant legislation.
Any person who deals with any plant, who knows (or should know) of any biosecurity risk, has a duty to ensure the risk is prevented, eliminated or minimised, so far as is reasonably practicable.
Weed Identification
Use the NSW WeedWise website to help identify weeds on your property. The website contains over 300 weed profiles, describing:
- Profile
- Control (including registered herbicide options)
- Biosecurity duty (under the Biosecurity Act 2015)
You can view the website here:
Or get the NSW Weedwise App
iTunes weedwise app
Google play weedwise app
Planning a Weed Control Strategy
Weeds thrive on disturbance
As well as taking action to remove weeds, you need to look at what has contributed to the infestation, and treat the causes, as well as the symptom (the weeds). Reliance on simply spraying weeds as they appear is an expensive spiral of increasing disturbance and increasing infestation.
Healthy, vigorous native vegetation or pasture is relatively weed-resistant. Nevertheless, timing is the crucial factor in weed control.
Removing a weed may simply result in its replacement by another rapidly growing coloniser of empty space, usually another weed. Look at the whole picture, and decide what you want to achieve before starting a weed control program.
For more information or to speak to one of Council's Biosecurity Officers, please call 1300 176 077.
Links
(Griffith City Council Weed Management Plan) Coming Soon.
Riverina Regional Strategic Weed Management Plan 2017-2022Local government responsibility for weeds (nsw.gov.au)
