Protecting the Southern Gulf Landscape from Prickly Acacia Infestation

Prickly Acacia is the scourge of the Southern Gulf pastoral industry.  Introduced originally as a shade tree and for drought fodder, it has proven to be all too successful in the Southern Gulf environment, infesting millions of hectares of valuable grazing country.  Left unmanaged, Prickly Acacia will form dense thickets, completely eliminating valuable pasture grasses and modifying the habitats for the native species that rely on grassland ecosystems.  Prickly Acacia spreads through paddocks in the gut of cattle that graze on the nutritious seed pods.  Cattle transport is a major risk of regional-scale spread of the weed.

Prickly Acacia management has been a priority for Southern Gulf NRM for many years.  Our work follows the Weeds of National Significance Prickly Acacia Strategic Plan 2012-2017.  Recognising that parts of the region have heavy, long-established infestations and other parts, while vulnerable to infestation are now free of the weed, the principles of the strategy can be summarised as:

• Prevent the spread of the weed into currently un-infested areas
• Monitor the landscape to enable early detection of any new infestations
• Give priority to eradication of newly established infestations where this is feasible
• Support land managers with information, technical advice and financial assistance in managing established infestations.

Southern Gulf NRM supports land managers with grants to control prickly acacia infestations in keeping with the Strategic Plan.  During 2015/16, Southern Gulf NRM Prickly Acacia projects treated more than 150,000 ha in partnerships with 10 properties who each co-invest at least 50%.

Project Partners: Biosecurity Queensland; Local Government; Land Managers

Project Funding: Queensland Natural Resource Management Program