Prickly acacia, a weed of national significance, and a priority of the region’s Pest Management Strategy and the Burdekin Shire Council Pest Management Plan, was targeted for control at Home Hill to remove a substantial proportion from the area.
The Blueprint for the Bush project was run by Burdekin Shire Council, in partnership with NQ Dry Tropics, Greening Australia, and two properties where the majority of the work was conducted.
A total of 1,500 hectares was targeted with landholders implementing property pest management plans including:
- removing stock from large infested areas;
- developing an annually increasing buffer around large infestation through mechanical removal of weeds and consistent follow-up with chemical spray; and
- introduction of camels to browse on the prickly acacia, opening the area up and creating better access for regrowth control.
The project built on the landholder’s work in the following ways:
- by removing large areas of prickly acacia to enable the problem to become more manageable and prevent reinfestation;
- creating a coordinated effort between the two neighbours allowing for greater impact on the problem;
- an integrated strategy supported by Burdekin Shire Council, NQ Dry Tropics, Queensland Government and Greening Australia, reinforcing the strategic importance of woody weed control, on a catchment basis, achieving long-term control of large infestations and improving the sustainability of valuable grazing enterprises.
Townsville City Council and Burdekin Shire Council also undertook inspections and mapping of their areas to locate outlying prickly acacia infestations. A program was undertaken with the landholders to eradicate these isolated infestations.
