Please contact your local authorised officer if you require assistance with weed identification or any other pest plant or pest animal control matter. We look forward to working with you to protect and preserve the agricultural, horticultural and environmental interests of our region through coordinated pest plant and pest animal control.

Alert Weeds

As part of the risk assessment process the board has identified over 30 species of alert weeds. These weeds are those species not yet present in the South East or present in very limited numbers, but have the potential for large negative impacts if they were to become established in the region. The alert weeds for the South East region are listed below. The Biosecurity SA website has further information on most of these weeds on their Website.

The South East NRM Board is the first in South Australia to implement a Weed Spotters program. This program provides training and resources to volunteers who want to help by keeping an eye out for these potential new species. If you would like more information on the Weed Spotters program please see the Weed Spotters Page.

Dodder 

The confirmation of a new infestation of the declared plant golden dodder (Cuscuta campestris) in the region in 2010 has prompted the board to encourage small seed growers to be vigilant against weeds.
Dodder is a summer growing annual weed that is parasitic to broadleaf plants such as lucerne, clover, vegetables and broadleaf weeds. It looks like a fine yellow string wound around the plants. Whilst a significant threat to the small seeds industry, golden dodder is controllable and the board has developed a management plan in conjunction with Lucerne Australia to assist growers effectively manage an infestation. Click here to view the Dodder Fact Sheet. 

Click here to read the Dodder management booklet.

Bridal Veil

A new emerging weed threat has recently been discovered in the South East region. Bridal Veil (Asparagus declinatus), a relation to Bridal Creeper is considered to be a highly invasive and aggressive environmental weed introduced into Australia as a garden ornamental in the 1800’s. It has similar impacts to Bridal Creeper but has been proven more difficult to control in areas such as Kangaroo Island.

Plans to eradicate this plant from the region are being fulfilled in a joint effort between Natural Resources South East and the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Current known locations of bridal veil are being treated with extensive surveying being implemented to determine the full extent of the infestation.

Bridal Veil is a fern-like, creeping perennial plant with blue-green, needle like leaves. Annual shoots emerge in the autumn rains and scramble in comparison to bridal creeper, which is more of a climber. It has greenish –white flowers during winter and Green ovoid berries are produced in August to September. Above ground biomass then begins to senesce when temperatures rise and then is only present as an underground, tuberous root mat. It grows best in rocky outcrops, pine forests and native vegetation on roadsides.

When established its smothering habit and dense underground tuberous root mass inhibits germination and recruitment of native plants. It is also associated with other sites including fence lines, overhead wires around dams and watercourses and in cemeteries and dumps. Dispersal of the seed is mainly by medium to large birds such as the Currawong which can fly up to 10km before regurgitating viable seeds, small birds provide localised dispersal. It is also dispersed by foxes, possums, lizards and rodents. Bridal veil is a declared weed under the Natural Resources Management Act 2004.

Mexican Feather Grass

In an effort to protect the South East from new weed threats Natural Resources South East is acting to prevent the arrival and establishment of Mexican Feather Grass in the region.

Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima) is a serious invasive weed and is a declared plant under the Natural Resources Management Act 2004. As a declared plant it is illegal to introduce, sell or move Mexican feather grass within South Australia. Click here to view the Mexican Feather Grass Fact Sheet.

Salvation Jane

A national biological control program against the weed salvation Jane (Echium plantagineum) involves establishing populations of the weeds natural enemies and distributing them around the country as numbers of the insect increase. There are a number of biocontrol agents that have been released over the years for the control of salvation Jane in Australia, but not all have been successful. Recent work in the South East has seen the successful establishment of a beetle called the crown boring weevil. Some sites have been established for up to nine years and are now showing large numbers of plant deaths as a result of the weevil. For more information on the biological control of Salvation Jane in SA please click here.

Caltrop

Landholders in the South East have been urged to take steps to control the pest plant caltrop (Tribulus terrestris). The high rainfall received in December has ensured high rates of germination of caltrop and other summer weeds across the region. Caltrop is a declared plant under the Natural Resources Management Act 2004 and must be controlled. Caltrop is found throughout the region and can have severe impacts on native vegetation, stock and cause injury to people because of the extremely sharp burrs.

Gorse

As a Weed of National Significance (WONS), gorse (Ulex europaeus) causes significant damage to both agricultural production and the natural environment. It has been identified in the top 15 agricultural and the top 15 environmental weeds in the South East Weed Risk Assessment, confirming its status as a significant regional weed threat. The National Gorse Task Force has supported a recent project as part of the implementation of the National Gorse Strategy. Infestations of gorse in the South East region fall within the National Eradication Zone. Importantly, it is recognized as the southern most outbreak of gorse in South Australia. This distribution makes the South East infestations a priority for gorse control in order to compliment other national efforts on this weed and protect un-infested areas.

Currently, as a declared plant under the Natural Resources Management Act 2004, landholders are required to control gorse on their properties at their own cost. The recent project, funded by the Australian Government Defeating the Weed Menace programme, financed gorse control to destroy core infestations that were too large for individual landholders to address. The regional Gorse Project all but eradicated gorse from the South East region by focusing on several key parcels of land. Landholders and Authorised officers are continually working together to follow up and control any gorse seedlings that germinate.

Link to the South East Regional Gorse Project Page