Noxious Weed Control
Moorabool Shire Council is responsible for the management of over 1,440km of local road network (Moorabool Shire Council Road Management Plan 2021-2025). Maintaining this road network and its associated roadside vegetation is a significant task, requiring dedicated project management, site monitoring and significant annual financial investment. Moorabool Shire Council is dedicated to managing weed infestations on council managed land and committed to the early prevention and control of weed species newly identified in the area. Undertaking weed control activities is an important part of Council’s role as a land steward, and a major investment in protecting the Shire’s significant agricultural and environmental assets.
As a land owner and under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (CaLP Act), Council has the responsibility to manage declared noxious weeds. These weeds can be classified into the following groups based on their impact on the land:
Regionally Prohibited Weeds: Weeds that are not widely distributed but have the ability to spread further. Landowners, including Council and other public authorities, must take appropriate action to eradicate regionally prohibited weeds from their land. Examples of such weeds include caltrop and khaki weed.
Regionally Controlled Weeds: Weeds that have become widespread over time and prevention of their spread is required. Landowners, including Council and other public authorities, must take reasonable steps to prevent the growth and spread of regionally controlled weeds on their land. Examples of such weeds include gorse, blackberries, and serrated tussock.
Restricted Weeds: This category includes plants that pose an unacceptable risk of spreading in this state and are a serious threat to another state or territory of Australia. Trade in these weeds and their propagules (either as plants, seeds or contaminants in other materials) is prohibited.
If you'd like to see a list from Agriculture Victoria of declared noxious weeds and pest animals, please click the link here
Roadside Weed and Pest Plan 2023-2026
From 2023-2026, Council has committed to implementing a 'Roadside Weed and Pest Plan' endorsed by Agriculture Victoria. This plan helps define the types of declared noxious weeds and pest animals within Moorabool Shire Council and where they are located and how they are controlled. This is a requirement by the State Government to receive funding for control works.
This will become available on the webpage by December 2023.
Roadsides we are treating in 2023/24 FY
A compiled list of roadsides and their localities where weeds will be treated in the 2023/24 financial year will soon be made available on our website once the RWPP 2023-26 is made available.
"No Spray" Register
We are currently working on a 'No Spray' Register for Council staff across all departments to become aware of properties that have opted for no herbicide spraying on property boundaries.
Spotted a weed? Report it here
We are currently working on an online form for concerned citizens to fill out if they spot a noxious weed on Council managed roadsides or on our reserves.
A locally relevant field guide created by nature enthusiasts that will assist landholders to identify and control noxious and environmental weeds that can be found within Moorabool Shire Council. You can download a copy of this field guide here here:
Weeds-of-the-MSC.pdf(PDF, 27MB) .