CITY OF WHITTLESEA Lobed needle grass eridication | 1

LOBED NEEDLE GRASS IS A HIGHLY INVASIVE WEED

• What is it?

Lobedneedlegrassisoneoftheworsttypesofnoxious weedsinVictoria,withthepotentialtocausemajordamage totheagriculturaluseoflandandnaturalareas.Itisclassed asa‘Stateprohibitedweed’underlawmeaningthatitis consideredtobeamongthehighestcategoryofnoxious weedsinourStatebutonewhichisstillcapableofbeing eradicated.2Itformsdensecompetitiveinfestationswhich candisplacenativegrassesandproductivegrasspalatableto livestock.3

• Where is it from?

LobedneedlegrassisindigenoustoUruguay,Argentinaand Brazil.Itiscloselyrelatedtoserratedtussock,widely regardedastheworstpastureweedinAustralia.4

• When did it first emerge?

Ithasthoughttohavebeenpresentinourmunicipalityfor morethan40years.5

• How does is spread?

Itcanproducethousandsofseedswhicharesharpand capableofattachingtoclothing,furandequipment.The grassisfastgrowingandcanbespreadeasily,including viaseedsspreadingwhensoilismoved.

• How far has it spread?

PotentialDistributioninAustraliahasbeenestimatedtobe 600,000hawithsubstantialareasofVictoriaatrisk.6

Lobed needle grass poses a significant threat to biodiversity and agricultural productivity. It is classed as a ‘State prohibited weed’ under law meaning that it is considered to be among the highest category of noxious weeds in our State but one which is still capable of being eradicated.1 Since 2012 the State Government has taken no action to eradicate lobed needle grass despite having a statutory duty to take reasonable steps to do so.

OUR FARMERS URGENTLY NEED LOBED NEEDLE GRASS ERADICATION

What is needed: • Urgent reinstatement of the lobed needle grass eradication program. Alternatively -

• $160,000 per annum for the City of Whittlesea to undertake eradication programs with local landowners.

FOR SEVEN YEARS THERE HAS BEEN NO ACTION TO ERADICATE LOBED NEEDLE GRASS

• What is the Government’s responsibility under law?

LobedNeedleGrassisclassedasaStateprohibitedweed

undertheCatchmentandLandProtectionAct1994(Vic)(CaLPAct).UndertheCaLPAct,TheSecretarymusttakeallreasonablestepstoeradicateStateprohibitedweedsfromalllandintheState.10

• What action has the Government taken to eradicate lobed needle grass?

Upuntil2012-2013theStateGovernmentraneradication

programs.SincethentheStateGovernmenthastakennoactiontoeradicateLobedNeedleGrasssince2012-2013despiteithavingastatutoryresponsibilitytotakereasonablestepstodoso.

• What has the City of Whittlsea done to encourage action?

WehavewrittentotheresponsibleMinsterandresponsibleDepartmentsmultipletimesandhavespokentoDepartmentrepresentativestotrytodeterminewhytheeradicationprogramceasedandtoencouragethatitberesumed.

LOBED NEEDLE GRASS CAN BE ERADICATED IF IMMEDIATE ACTION IS TAKEN

• What has the Government told us? WehavebeenadvisedbytheresponsibleMinisterand

DepartmentrepresentativesthatanassessmentwasmadethatitwasnolongerfeasibleforlobedneedlegrasstobeeradicatedfromVictoria(however,noformalfeasibilityassessmentwasundertakeninformingthisview).Forthisreason,theresponsibleDepartmenthasoptedtotakenoactiontowardseradicatinglobedneedlegrass.

• What should be happening?

Itisourstrongviewthatitisstillpossibleforlobedneedlegrasstobeeradicatedbecauseinfestationnumbersarestillrelativelylow.However,urgentactionisneededtoeradicatelobedneedlegrasswhilethereisstilltheopportunitytodoso.Iferadicationisnotpossiblethencontainmentoptionsshouldbeputinplace,inaccordancewithGovernmentbiosecurityprotocols.

2 | CITY OF WHITTLESEA Lobed needle grass eridication

IN VICTORIA LOBED NEEDLE GRASS MAINLY IMPACTS THE CITY OF WHITTLESEA BUT WILL SOON IMPACT NEIGHBORING MUNICIPALITIES

• Where is it found? AccordingtotheStateGovernment’sdatabase,the

VictorianBiodiversityAtlas,87percentoftherecordsoflobedneedlegrassarelocatedwithintheCityofWhittlesea(217outof248).7ItismainlyfoundinEpping,MerndaandDonnybrook.Weunderstandthat121propertieswerepartoftheeradicationprogram.

• Where is it likely to spread to?

MunicipalitiesneighbouringtheCityofWhittlesea,mainlyHume,Mitchell,NillumbikandDarebin,areatgreatthreatofinfestation.

LOBED NEEDLE GRASS IS A SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO OUR FARMERS

• Why can it harm farmers?

Lobedneedlegrassisunpalatabletostockandcandisplaceproductivepasturespecies.Itcanoutcompeteediblepasturegrassesandreducetheamountofavailablefeedforlivestock.Thismeansthatfarmerswillbeforcedtograzelessanimalsperhectareandwillneedtocommittheirownresourcestotreattheweedandpreventfurtherdegradationoftheirland.Ifthisweedcontinuestospreadtheproductivecapacityofpropertieswilldeclinewhilethecostsofmanagementwillincrease.Problematically,itcanbeeasilyoverlookedbecauseofitssimilarappearancetoindigenoustussockgrassesandotherNassellaspecies.8

• Can it harm farm animals?

Lobedneedlegrasshasthepotentialtocontaminateandreducethevalueofwool.Itcanalsocauseinjuriestolivestockbecausesharpseedscanburyintotheskin,mouthsandeyesofanimals.9

What do farmers want done?

• Farmerswantthereinstatementoftheeradicationprogramassoonaspossible.

CITY OF WHITTLESEA Lobed needle grass eridication | 3

1 Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994(Vic)s21(1);AgricultureVictoria,Lobedneedlegrass.Available:http://agriculture.vic.gov.au/agriculture/pests-diseases-and-weeds/weeds/state-prohibited-weeds/lobed-needle-grass[accessedAugust2017].

2 Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994(Vic)s21(1);AgricultureVictoria,Lobedneedlegrass.Available:http://agriculture.vic.gov.au/agriculture/pests-diseases-and-weeds/weeds/state-prohibited-weeds/lobed-needle-grass[accessedAugust2017].

3 AgricultureVictoria,Lobed needle grass.Available:http://agriculture.vic.gov.au/agriculture/pests-diseases-and-weeds/weeds/state-prohibited-weeds/lobed-needle-grass[accessedAugust2017].

4 AgricultureVictoria,Lobed needle grass.Available:http://agriculture.vic.gov.au/agriculture/pests-diseases-and-weeds/weeds/state-prohibited-weeds/lobed-needle-grass[accessedAugust2017].

5 CRCWeedManagement,Lobed needle grass(Nassellacharruana).Available:https://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/weeds/publications/guidelines/alert/pubs/n-charruana.pdf

5 Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994(Vic)s21(1).6 AgricultureVictoria,Lobed needle grass.Available:http://agriculture.vic.gov.au/

agriculture/pests-diseases-and-weeds/weeds/state-prohibited-weeds/lobed-needle-grass[accessedAugust2017].

7 VictorianBiodiversityAtlas[accessedOctober2017].8 AgricultureVictoria,Lobed needle grass.Available:http://agriculture.vic.gov.au/

agriculture/pests-diseases-and-weeds/weeds/state-prohibited-weeds/lobed-needle-grass[accessedAugust2017].

9 CRCWeedManagement,Lobed needle grass(Nassellacharruana).Available:https://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/weeds/publications/guidelines/alert/pubs/n-charruana.pdf

• What has the Government told landowners?

Nostepshavebeentakentoletlandownersknowthattheeradicationprogramhasceasedandthatlandownersneedtostartmanagingthisweedthemselves.ThismeansthatmanylandownersmaynotbetakinganyactiontopreventthespreadofahighlynoxiousweedthatwillimpacttheprofitabilityoftheirfarmlandbecausetheyareundertheassumptionthattheGovernmentismanagingtheweed,inaccordancewithitsstatutorydutytodoso.

• What role can the City of Whittlesea play?

IftheGovernmentdoesnotwishtoadministertheeradicationprogramthenCouncilofficersareinagoodpositiontodoso,iffundedbytheStateGovernment.Weareabletocoordinatethisprogramhavingextensiveknowledgeoftheareaandexistingrelationshipswith

manyrurallandownersinthearea.

LOBED NEEDLE GRASS SPREADING IN WOLLERT

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Michele PurtleSenior Advocacy Advisor

9217 2242 Michele.Purtle@whittlesea.vic.gov.au whittlesea.vic.gov.au

Prepared October 2019