Colac Otway Shire Council – upcoming weed control works

Published on 18 June 2020

Under the Environmental Weed Control Program, Colac Otway Shire Council undertakes targeted treatment of noxious weed infestations to protect road reserves and other environmental reserves throughout the shire with significant environmental values, such as high-quality remnant indigenous vegetation and threatened species.

Upcoming weed control works are scheduled to take place throughout Colac Otway Shire between Tuesday 23 June and Tuesday 30 June, 2020.

Colac Otway Shire Council’s Manager Environment and Community Safety Stewart Anderson said Council’s environmental weed treatment programs are scheduled at different times throughout the year to ensure the greatest efficiency of treatment of each weed species being targeted.

“The June program is focused on Spanish Heath (Erica lusitanica, Erica baccans), which is a winter flowering plant. The most effective time to treat it is when it is actively growing, but before it flowers and sets seed. The months of this active growth for Spanish Heath span from March to June in different places, and based on the experience of ongoing programs within Colac Otway Shire, we have found May and June to be the most appropriate treatment times in this region,” Mr Anderson said.

“Bluebell Creeper (Billardiera heterophylla, Billardiera fusifomis Labill) is also being targeted as part of the program, because it is a newly emerging weed in our shire. It is present on several of the road reserves with high environmental values being treated for Spanish Heath, and Council is attempting to contain the emerging infestations with a view to eradicating this weed within our shire – before it takes hold and becomes a significant management issue – in the most resource effective means possible.

“Colac Otway Shire Council’s environmental weed treatment programs are all highly targeted: skilled and experienced contractors are engaged, and the most appropriate selective herbicides are used and applied in such a way as to ensure off-target impacts do not occur, including ‘cut and paint’ and ‘spot spraying’.

“No weed treatment works are ever undertaken when conditions are too wet or during rainfall. The decision as to which chemical to use is based on the location of road, surrounding vegetation, adjoining properties and the life stage of the weed species,” Mr Anderson said.

For further details, including location of weed control works can be found at Council’s website at https://www.colacotway.vic.gov.au/Works-Projects/Upcoming-Weed-Control-Works