Tag Archives: Noxious weeds

Changes to the Noxious Weeds Act 1993

WHAT HAS CHANGED?

From the 1st of July 2017 the NSW Government has replaced the Noxious Weeds Act 1993 with the Biosecurity Act 2015. Under the Biosecurity Act 2015, the Blue Mountains City Council, as the Local Control Authority, has a legal obligation to manage the biosecurity risk posed or likely to be posed by reducing the impacts of Priority Weeds.

WHAT IS BIOSECURITY?

Biosecurity refers to the protection of native plant communities; reducing the risk to human health: and the risk to agricultural production, from invasive weeds.

WHAT DOES THE NEW BIOSECURITY ACT MEAN FOR ME?

Under the Biosecurity Act, landowners have a responsibility to control the risk that Priority Weeds on their property pose to neighbouring bushland and properties.

Residents will see a change in the terminology used, for example, the term Noxious Weed will be replaced with Priority Weeds or Biosecurity Matter, and weed notices/orders will be issued as Biosecurity Directions under the Biosecurity Act. There are also some changes target invasive plants identified as Priority Weeds compared to previous Noxious Weeds lists.

Therefore the Noxious Weeds Classification of individual weeds is no longer correct.

Will the Biosecurity Act change the way Council manages weeds on private property?

No. Council’s Urban Weeds Program and the process for inspecting private properties for invasive weeds will continue unchanged. Council will also maintain its current approach to education and enforcement relating to invasive weeds. Council will maintain the current process for issuing Weed Control Notices. The main differences will be the terminology used and that Orders will be issued under the Biosecurity Act. They will be known as Biosecurity Directions.

For further information on Priority Weeds in the Blue Mountains please download the Priority Weeds Information Booklet here;

https://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/files/PriorityWeedsInformationBooklet.pdf

Blue Mountains Priority Weeds Information

For further information on the Greater Sydney Regional Strategic Weed Management Plan 2017, and can be found on:

Department of Primary Industries website

https://greatersydney.lls.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/722368/Greater-Sydney-Regional-Weed-Mgmt-Plan-29-June-2017_FINAL-web-res.pdf

or download the FREE NSW Department of Primary Industries weed app

NSW Weedwise app

Where you will find the weeds listed for the Blue Mountains including a profile of the weed and your Biosecurity duty under the Biosecurity Act 2015.

Submissions – Biosecurity Act Regulations close 29 January 2017

Calling all bushcarers – very important news. The Noxious Weeds Act is changing! The new Bioescurity Act 2015 is scheduled to come into force by next June. The Regulations will provide the detail of how the new act will work on the ground. This will determine what powers local authorities have to control weeds. The Regulations are now open for submissions until 29 January 2017.

This is the link for consultation on the new Biosecurity Act Regulations:  http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/content/biosecurity/biosecurity-act-2015

Please take some time to make a submission.

 

Noxious Weeds in the Blue Mountains

Below is a list of recent changes to the noxious weeds list in the Blue Mountains. African Olive, Montbretia and Mothers of Millions have been added to the list, and the levels of other weeds have changed.

Common nameScientific nameControl
African BoxthornLycium ferocissimumA Weed of National Significance (WONS)
Blue Mountains City Council (BMCC) Noxious Weed Class 3
African OliveOlea europaea ssp.cuspidata BMCC Noxious Weed Class 3
Alligator WeedAlternanthera philoxeroidesBMCC Noxious Weed Class 2
Arundo – Giant Reed/Elephant GrassArundo donaxBMCC Noxious Weed Class 4
Asparagus FernAsparagus aethiopicusBMCC Noxious Weed Class 3
BambooPhyllostachys spp.BMCC Noxious Weed Class 4
Blackberry
 		Rubus fruticosus spp. agg.WoNS
BMCC Noxious Weed Class 4.
Boneseed
 		Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. moniliferaWoNS
BMCC Noxious Weed Class 1.
Bridal CreeperAsparagus asparagoidesWoNS
BMCC Noxious Weed Class 3.
Camphor LaurelCinnamomum camphoraBMCC Noxious Weed Class 4
Cape Broom
 		Genista monspessulanaBMCC Noxious Weed Class 3
Cat’s Claw CreeperDolichandra unguis-cati syn.Macfadyena unguis-catiWoNS
BMCC Noxious Weed Class 2
Coolatai GrassHyparrhenia hirtaBMCCNoxious Weed Class 3
Crofton WeedAgeratina adenophoraBMCC Noxious Weed Class 3
FireweedSenecio madagascariensisBMCC Noxious Weed Class 4.
Flax-leaf BroomGenista linifoliaWoNS
BMCC Noxious Weed Class 3
Honey Locust TreeGleditsia triacanthosBMCC Noxious Weed Class 3
GorseUlex europaeusWoNS
BMCC Noxious Weed Class 3
Green CestrumCestrum parquiBMCC Noxious Weed Class 3
Grey Sallow (Pussy Willow)
 		Salix spp.WoNS
BMCC Noxious Weed Class 3
HawkweedHeiracium mororumWoNS
BMCC Noxious Weed Class 1. All of NSW.
HorsetailEquisetum arvenseBMCC Noxious Weed Class 1. All of NSW.
LantanaLantana spp.WoNS
BMCC Noxious Weed Class 3
Large leaf PrivetLigustrum lucidumBMCC Noxious Weed Class 4
Long-leaf willow primroseLudwigia longifoliaBMCC Noxious Weed Class 3
MontbretiaCrocosmia x crocosmiifloraBMCC Noxious Weed Class 4
Mother of MillionsBryophyllum delagoenseBMCC Noxious Weed Class 4
Pampas GrassCortaderia spp.BMCC Noxious Weed Class 3
Paterson’s CurseEchium spp.BMCC Noxious Weed Class 4
Prickly PearOpuntia spp.WoNS
Noxious Weed Class 4 all of NSW
Rhus TreeToxicodendron succedaneumBMCC Noxious Weed Class 4. All of NSW.
Scotch/English BroomCytisus scopariusBMCC Noxious Weed Class 3
Serrated TussockNassella trichotomaWoNS
BMCC Noxious Weed Class 3
Small leaf PrivetLigustrum sinenseBMCC Noxious Weed Class 4
St John’s WortHypericum perforatumBMCC Noxious Weed Class 4.
TutsanHypericum androsaemum and Hypericum kouytchense(syn.H. x moserianumBMCC Noxious Weed Class 3.

Class 1: The plant must be eradicated from the land and that land must be kept free of the plant.

Class 2: The plant must be eradicated from the land and the land must be kept free of the plant

Class 3: The plant must be fully and continuously suppressed and destroyed and the plant must not be sold, propagated or knowingly distributed

Class 4: The growth of the plant must be managed in a manner that continously inhibits the ability of the plant to spread and the plant must not be sold, propagated or knowingly distributed.

For more information see Blue Mountains City Council’s resources: