Noxious Weeds
Noxious Weeds Policy
The noxious weeds policy of the Council is to undertake the provisions of the Noxious Weeds Act, 1993 and set various goals and objectives to achieve this. Council staff have been conducting control work within a large area under direct Council responsibility, with the aim of reducing weed and seed numbers as much as possible. There are ongoing programs in place to maintain the pressure on noxious weeds over a number of years in an attempt to deplete the seed bank already present in the soil.
Priority Weeds
Currently the weeds causing the biggest problems within the Balranald Shire are, Spiny Burgrass, Onion Weed, African Boxthorn and Bathurst Burr.
Obligations of Landholders and Council
Private landholders are required to control noxious weeds on the land they occupy according to the control category specified for that weed.
Council is required to control weeds on council land, according to the appropriate control category. Council is also required to ensure private occupiers are attending to their weeds and from time to time, the Noxious Weeds Inspector will visit landholders to ascertain the extent of the weed infestation, the plans for control, and if required, assist to formulate a control strategy. If the Weeds Inspector intends to call on you, he will first contact you to arrange a convenient time for you to accompany him to discuss weed infestation problems on his inspection. However, if this is not practical, the Weeds Inspector can conduct the inspection alone and present a report to you at a later date.
If noxious weeds are present, the occupier and the Inspector will determine a suitable time frame to allow control work to be undertaken, after which time the Inspector will re-visit. This will be written into an inspection report, and a copy handed to the occupier. If control work has not been carried out within the agreed time, the Inspector ma undertake certain actions, including issuing an on the spot fine, or a notice under the appropriate section of the Noxious Weeds Act 1993, which further allows for severe fines.
More information can be found on the following pages.
Noxious Weeds Information
