Cardinia Shire Council says it has completed all scheduled actions under its 10-year Weed Management Strategy mid-way through the plan — but many residents say the results are not visible on the ground.
Weeds are nationally a significant problem. Weeds pose one of the biggest threats to the natural environment and change the balance of Australia’s ecological biodiversity by displacing native plant and animal species.
At Monday’s meeting on May 20, councillors noted the mid-term review of the 2019–2029 Weed Management Strategy, which outlines a collaborative approach to controlling invasive plants across the shire.
Of the 28 actions scheduled for the first five years, 12 have been marked complete and 16 are now considered “business as usual.”
Council officers acknowledged the challenge, highlighting that 16 of the completed actions require ongoing funding and resourcing.
The strategy focuses on protecting landscapes and agriculture, aligning with state and federal environmental goals.
Cardinia has adopted the ‘Weed threat matrix’ which is a different approach to the majority of weed control programs undertaken by government agencies. It is based on the ecological value of specific sites where the highest quality sites are treated in the first year, then require less attention in subsequent years. This method preserves high quality sites and gradually expands them during the 10 years of this strategy.
Working with Landcare, friends’ groups, and committees of management, Council has provided 40 biodiversity grants since 2019 which have empowered the community and contributed towards effective weed control across the Shire.
In addition, Council provides support to the community by providing guidelines to volunteers working on reserves, producing free biodiversity and weed education literature, delivering the Trees for Weeds swap, and providing advice to friends groups on establishing effective weed control programs.
Despite this, frustrated locals in the Shire and Hills continue to report overgrown weed and black berry along roadsides, reserves and public spaces, raising concerns about biodiversity loss, fire risk and property damage.
“It’s all well and good to tick boxes in a strategy, but the weeds are still out of control where I live,” one resident said.
