Victorian Gorse Control Strategy 2021-26 Victorian Gorse Control Strategy 2021-26 The Victorian Gorse Taskforce Introduction The Victorian Gorse Taskforce (VGT) was formed in 1999 with the launch of a The Victorian Gorse Taskforce 2 community-based and integrated approach to reducing the impact of gorse Gorse overview 3 The Problem 4 across the landscape. The Solution 5 The Committee currently comprises land managers who have successfully 1 Key Principles 6 controlled gorse on their land and in their communities, as well as 2 Key Outcomes 8 representatives of Landcare groups, local government, agricultural industries and State Government departments. 3 Key Activities 10 4 Annual Task Calendar 12 The Victorian Government funds the VGT to oversee the coordination and implementation of the Victorian Gorse Control Strategy (VGCS). The VGT is 5 Appendix 14 Key Terms 14 committed to ensuring there is a strong emphasis on building community Further Information 15 capacity in gorse control through a mix of extension services, community Abbreviations 15 engagement activities and grants. The VGT encourages the responsible authority to use compliance to support coordinated on-ground action to control gorse. Strategy Authors: Acknowledgements: Published and Authorised by: Disclaimer: Enquiries: Victorian Gorse Taskforce (VGT) The VGT wishes to acknowledge The Victorian Gorse Taskforce, Every effort has been made to ensure VGT Executive Officer, with assistance from Mal Brown the support received from the State February 2021 that the information in this Strategy is Agriculture Victoria, 475-485 (Scarlet Consulting) and Government of Victoria through accurate. The Victorian Gorse Taskforce Mickleham Road, Attwood, VIC 3049 Geoff Park (Natural Decisions Pty Ltd). Agriculture Victoria within the Designed by: does not guarantee that the publication Department of Jobs, Precincts and Robt Haughie (BaseGraphic) is without flaw of any kind and therefore Email: [email protected] Regions that has assisted in producing disclaims all liability for any error, loss or Web: www.vicgorsetaskforce.com.au this document. other consequence that may arise from relying on any information in the Strategy. THE PROBLEM RVE CU Gorse (Ulex europaeus L.) is an N IO $ introduced plant from Europe that is AS V now established in southern Australia. IN It is a Weed of National Significance (WoNS) due to its invasiveness, impacts, potential for spread and negative effects on economic, environmental and social values. AREA AFFECTED Prevent Eradicate Contain Control • Invasive species totally • Small number detected • Increased abundance • Species widespread & abundant COSTS MANAGEMENT Today, gorse is spread across 23 million absent from environment • Eradication possible • Limit spread • Long-term management required hectares of Australia and infests up to one million hectares. Its potential range 1 is 87 million hectares. The extent of INVASION TIMELINE $ gorse in Victoria in 2020 is shown in Figure 1: The invasion curve points to the long-term management required to control invasive pest plants like gorse2. Figure 2. Gorse is one of Australia’s worst weeds. It infests valuable pastoral 1 million 23 million 87 million land and significantly reduces land values. It is a haven for rabbits, hectares hectares hectares foxes and feral cats; it degrades infected impacted threatened waterways and damages natural environments. From an agricultural perspective In native vegetation, gorse can form Gorse threatens the integrity of riparian gorse reduces carrying capacity, dense monocultural stands and inhibit zones, impacts on biodiversity in native restricts stock and human access and natural regeneration. It poses a fire vegetation and on threatened species. harbours feral animals. In forestry, hazard and detracts from landscape gorse interferes with access, seedling values across all land types. establishment and harvesting. 1 Gorse National Best Practice Manual, Department of Primary Industries and Water, State of Tasmania, 2006 2https://invasives.org.au/blog/setting-the-stage-for- invasive-species-research/ 3 ! ! Gooramadda ! ! Wahgunyah Prentice ! Great North Browns Plains Northern ! ! ! ! Rutherglen ! Indigo Cornishtown ! ! Barnawartha ! Under the Catchment and Land While containment is still feasible in some Lilliput ! Chiltern Marungi ! ! ! ! Protection Act 1994, both public and parts of the landscape, control and long- ! Shelley ! Old Mitiamo Bunbartha Tallygaroopna Katandra ! ! ! ! Hayanmi ! Leneva West ! ! Tallangatta Tonga! la West Tallangatta Berringama ! ! Indigo Upper ! Tallangatta ! ! East Simmie Tongala East ! ! Marionvale Beetoomba Lockington Strathallan ! Zeerust private landowners are responsible term management is required to reduce the Prairie Ballendella ! ! Congupna Byawatha ! ! Tennyson ! ! ! ! Eldorado Osbornes Nanneella ! ! ! Milloo ! ! Flat ! Fairy Dell Kyabram Mooroopna North Woolshed ! Yackandandah ! Diggora Londrigan Carraragarmungee for preventing the growth and spread impact of gorse. This will require significant ! ! Timmering West ! ! Back Creek ! ! ! ! Ardmona ! ! Nariel Creek Rochester Shep! parton Black Springs Dingee Merrigum ! ! ! Wangaratta Beechworth ! ! Hurdle Flat Willow Crossing Girgarre ! Mooroopna ! Laceby Byrneside ! ! Tarrawingee ! Baarmutha Bruarong of gorse on their property where it is management costs and therefore Stanley ! Glen ! T!atura Milawa ! ! ! ! Everton Creek Stanhope ! ! ! ! ! Hendersyde Kialla West Markwood Murmungee Coonooer Bridge Carag Carag ! ! ! Bowman classified as a regionally controlled weed. gorse presents a challenge to Toolamba West Toolamba ! Whorouly Berrimal ! ! ! Winton Gowar ! Dhurringile East ! Be!nalla ensure management efforts ! Fentons ! Controlling gorse requires a long-term Creek ! ! ! Inglew! ood Lurg ! Lurg Wehla ! ! Tamleugh ! Bridgewater Yarraberb Kilfeera Upper ! Logan Kingower are cost-effective. ! Moglonemby Violet !Town Ryans Creek ! ! Karn Burkes ! ! ! Derby Riggs Creek effort; its seeds remain viable in the soil for ! Huntly ! Flat ! ! Molyullah Rheola Arnold West Balmattum ! ! Leichardt ! ! Boho ! Cochranes Myers Flat ! Harrys Creek ! ! decades and therefore ongoing vigilance ! White Hills Creek Marong Mallum ! ! ! Eaglehawk Lima Tatong ! ! Moliagul Wilson Reef ! ! Swanpool ! ! ! Moorngag Woodstock Kangaroo Creighton ! Euroa Lima ! ! BendigAxoedale ! ! Nagambie ! Stuart Flat Strathfieldsaye Sheans Creek ! East is required in areas where control efforts Rostron ! ! Longwood ! Samaria ! Mill ! ! ! ! Waanyarra Lock!wood Mandurang ! ! ! Axe Winjallok ! Goldsborough Shelbourne ! Woodstock West Creek! Eppalock ! ! East Tabilk ! Locksley Creightons Mandurang ! Shelbourne ! Lima are undertaken to reduce the chances of ! Creek Cheshunt South ! South ! ! Monea ! Strathbogie South ! Bromley Dunolly Sedgwick Archerton Ravenswood ! ! Navarre Betley Pilchers ! ! Dunluce ! Campbells ! Bridge Avenel Toombullup Bet Bet ! ! Glenorc! hy ! ! Bridge Mangalore Barjarg reinfestation. ! ! ! ! ! Redbank ! ! ! ! Tulkara ! ! Nuggetty Dry Tolmie ! Argyle ! Barkly Natte ! ! Ravenswood ! Creek Bridge Creek Havelock Porcupine Flat ! ! ! Baringhup ! South ! ! Greens ! ! Yallock ! Sutton Grange Tarcombe Ancona ! Wattle Creek ! Frenchmans ! Ruffy Merton Creek ! Simson West Baringhup Maldon Harcourt North Puckapunyal Nillahcootie Benambra ! Wareek ! ! ! Bonnie Barwite Moonambel ! MOUNT ! Harcourt Whiteheads Dropmore ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Redesdale Muckleford ! Doo!n Maindample Toolondo ! DIFFICULT Tanwood Hilldene ! ! Lower Homebush ! ! Seym! our Creek Gobur Woodfield ! Alma Ñ ! Joel Landsborough Landsborough Faraday ! Bridge Warrenmang North ! Hilldene Bingo Munjie North ! ! ! ! C ! Deep Lead West arisbrook Moolort ! Castlemaine ! Lake Lonsdale Inn ! ! Hinnomunjie Brooksby ! Kanumbra Mans! field Wombelano ! Percydale ! ! ! Illawarra Concongella ! ! ! ! ! ! Chewton Homebush ! Welshmans Muckleford ! Joel ! ! ! ! Douglas ! Adelaide Lead Maryborough ! ! ! Reef Elphinstone Tallarook Highlands Stawell South Campbells Creek ! Glenaroua Fyans Creek ! Joyces Creek ! ! ! Edenhope Telangatuk ! ! Avoca ! ! Glenshee ! ! Bung Bong ! ! ! ! Newstead Yapeen Metcalfe ! Granite Merrijig Mokepilly Daisy Hill ! Emu Flat Pyalong Majorca ! Fryerstown Glenlofty Lamplough ! ! ! Glenpatrick ! Taradale East Sugarloaf Creek Delatite ! ! ! ! Omeo ! Amherst ! Strathlea Guildford ! Kerrisdale Piries ! Saint Evins ! Langley ! Green Goughs Kanagulk ! ! Booroolite ! Halls Gap ! Crowlands Sandon Vaughan ! ! ! Lillicur Talbot ! Clydesdale Haydens Bog ! ! ! Hill ! Bay Bellfield ! Bellellen Great Western ! Malmsbury ! ! ! ! ! Settlement Amphitheatre ! Elmhurst ! ! ! Homewood ! ! ! ! ! ! Bendoc Eversley Eberys ! Pomonal Bald Hill ! Alexandra ! Howqua Caralulup Campbelltown Yandoit ! Goldie North Broadford Yea ! ! ! Harrow Pastoria East Tyaak Eildo!n Dunach ! ! Burnbank Drummond ! ! Lauriston Strath Creek Armstrong ! Limestone ! ! Jallukar ! ! ! ! ! Bonang ! ! ! ! Pipers Gelantipy Glenisla Shepherds Kyneton Cobaw Thornton ! ! Denver ! Acheron ! Hepburn ! Lan! cefield Willowmavin Reedy Creek Mount Evansford Kooroocheang ! Creek Warrak Lexton ! Flat Spring Balmor!al ! Ullina Carlsruhe Lonarch ! Glenlyon ! Arar!at Mount Clune! s Springs ! Hill ! Kilmore Jamieson ! ! Newham ! Beckworth ! ! Cathcart ! ! Butchers Ridge Moyston ! Rochford ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Woodend ! Taggerty ! ! ! ! Coomoora Flowerdale ! ! Barton Dobie Pigeon Ponds ! Tylden South North Hesket Bylands Clonbinane ! Rubicon Chetwynd Bayindeen ! ! ! Romsey ! Murrindindi Timbarra ! Smeaton !