Identify and report an invasive plant

Correctly identifying invasive plants is the first very important step in management. There are many native plants that provide valuable food and shelter for wildlife that can easily be mistaken for invasive plants. All native plants are protected by either local, state or Commonwealth laws and cannot be cleared unless an exemption applies.

Identify: Protected endemic plant or invasive plant

iNaturalist is a free app for identifying plants that allows you to submit photos of plants for identification. Visit the iNaturalist Australia website for more details on how it works.

Identify: Invasive plants

Here are a few ways that you can get help to identify plants:

• see the Biosecurity Queensland list of invasive plants
• download the free Weeds of South East Qld App via Apple App Store or Google Play Store
• check the Invasive Cacti field guide (PDF, 3.3MB - agric.wa.gov.au)
• send or bring in a specimen to council
• email an image of the plant (with as much detail as possible) to mail@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au
• send a sample for identification to the Queensland Herbarium
• contact a council Pest and Vector Officer
• join the Weed Spotters' Network Queensland.

Identify and swap: Our Locals are Beauties brochures

Refer to council's Our Locals are Beauties brochures to identify invasive plants and suggested native alternatives that you can plant instead.

• Our Locals are Beauties (coastal edition)
  • Natives - pages 1-33 (PDF, 4.6MB)
  • Weeds - pages 34-60 (PDF, 4.1MB).
• Our Locals are Beauties (hinterland edition)
  • Part 1 (PDF, 2.9MB)
  • Part 2 (PDF, 2.4MB).

Report an invasive plant

All sightings of prohibited invasive plants must be reported to Biosecurity Queensland within 24 hours.

All priority invasive plants identified for prevention or eradication should be reported to Council. Please refer to the Priority invasive plants page to learn more about which species should be reported.

Sightings of any other species can be reported via Weeds of South East Qld App. Download the app:

Apple App Store

Google Play Store