There are many exotic weeds throughout the NSW North Coast that may harm Australia’s primary industries and environment.
To help protect Australia from the negative effects of exotic threats, you need to know how to identify an exotic weed and what to do if you find one. If you are a new property owner on the North Coast, please make yourself familiar with current weed legislation (as per the Biosecurity Act 2015) as this legislation can apply to you living and working on the land. The Biosecurity Act explains how we manage biosecurity threats to plant, animal and human health in Australia and its external territories.
If you believe you have found a weed on your property and don’t know what it is, please bring a good sample (preferably intact with any seed or berry) into the Coffs Harbour Regional Landcare Office, our staff will be happy to help you identify it and tell you about control measures.
If you’ve found a new type of weed on your land or property, then contact your Local Control Authority which is typically your local Council Weed Officer and report it. You can view the NSW DPIE Weed Wise website for over 300 weed profiles and priority weeds.
Weed Wise provides key information on over 300 weed profiles. It is available online or as a free smartphone app available through the app stores.
You can also call the NSW Invasive Plants and Animals Enquiry Line on 1800 680 244 or email weeds@dpi.nsw.gov.au with your weed concern. Further details are available on the NSW Government Local Land Services website. Alternatively, you can also contact Australia’s Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881 and clearly describe what you have seen. You may be instructed how to collect a sample to help identify the plant.
We have also provided some useful resources to help you with a variety of weeds.
Landcare's Weeds of the North Coast
A local weed identification booklet ‘Landcare’s Weeds of the North Coast’ has been developed by the Coffs Harbour Regional Landcare. The latest edition of the booklet has been developed with funding from the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery. The project has been supported by the Australian Government’s Bushfire Recovery Program for Wildlife and their Habitat. This third edition reflects the change in legislation to the Biosecurity Act 2015.
It is a comprehensive booklet with high quality photos and detailed descriptions of local weeds and the methods that can be used to control them. While not every plant that is considered a weed on the North Coast is included, the booklet’s focus is on the most invasive species and those that are newly emerging in this region.
You can pick up a hard copy at the CHRL office, or view it online.
Each chapter of the booklet can also be viewed and downloaded individually by clicking on the links below:
1 Introduction
2 Ground layers
3 Grasses
4 Vines and Scramblers
5 Trees
6 Shrubs
7 Aquatic plants
8 Glossary index and resources
