Biosecurity action at home
The plan prioritises plants listed as restricted and locally significant invasive plants for management.
Article by Vector and Pest Plant Officer, Sunshine Coast Council
When everyone takes biosecurity action at their place, it impacts our whole region.
The framework for managing invasive plants on the Sunshine Coast is set out in the Biosecurity Act 2014 and the Sunshine Coast Biosecurity Plan 2017.
The plan prioritises 33 plants listed as restricted invasive plants under the Biosecurity Act 2014 for management as well as another 39 locally significant invasive plants. Invasive plants were prioritised based on their existing distribution on the Sunshine Coast, effective tools available for managing them and the potential risk to environment, agriculture, and economy if they were to spread further.
It is difficult to be familiar with all priority invasive plants however you can still help. Please consider the ecological and agricultural impacts when you are selling, giving away, planting or transporting plants that are not native to the area. Check to make sure they are not invasive and become familiar with high priority invasive plants. For more information on plants considered invasive in Queensland visit the Biosecurity Queensland website invasive plants | Business Queensland.
Under the Sunshine Coast Biosecurity Plan there are a few species that are on the eradicate list across all catchments. These are plants are often not yet commonly found across the coast. This is a list of plants are for all catchments. Each catchment then has a couple of additional plants to eradicate. For more information on priority plants for each of the six catchment areas, have a look at the Sunshine Coast Biosecurity Plan 2017.
A snapshot of plants on the eradication list
Weedy vines
- Balloon vine (Cardiospermum grandiflorum)
- Kudzu (Pueraria montana var. Lobata syn P. lobtata, P. triloba)
- Dutchman’s pipe (Aristolochia spp. Other than native species)
- Sicklethorn (Asparagus falcatus)
- Thunbergia (Thunbergia grandiflora syn. T. laurifolia, T. fragrens).
Groundcovers, cacti, succulents and herbaceous plants
- Dyschoriste (Dyschoriste depressa)
- Giant tropical salvia (Brillantaisia lamium)
- Parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus)
- Fireweed (Senecio madagascariensis)
- Prickly pear (Opuntia stricta syn O.inermis)
- Satinleaf (Chrysophyllum oliviforme)
- Swordpear (Acanthocereus tetragonus).
Trees
- Mexican bean tree (Cecropia pachystachya, C. palmata & C. peltata)
- Pond apple (Annona glabra)
- Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima).
Invasive grasses
- Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris)
- Thatch grass (Hyparrhenia rufa subsp. r ufa)..
Invasive aquatic plants
- Hymenachne (Hymenachne ampleicaulis and hybrids)
- Sagittaria (Sagittaria platyphylla)
- Senegal tea (Gymnocoronis spilanthoides).
Join the journey to protect our Sunshine Coast and commit to managing invasive plants at your place. If you have any of these plants listed as ‘eradicate’ on your property, please contact council for assistance with control options.