Battle lines extended in South West wattle fight

Weedy wattles and wine will combine at Nature Conservation Margaret River Region’s latest free community event aimed at helping locals identify and remove our worst weed trees.

Nature Conservation is teaming up Goanna Bush Cafe and Happs Wines in the fight against weedy wattles – in particular Sydney Golden Wattle and Flinders Range Wattle – which pose a serious threat to the unique ecology of the Hayes Rd and Commonage Rd reserves at Quindalup near Dunsborough.

The workshop is at Goanna Bush Café from 1.30pm-3:30pm on Saturday, August 10, in collaboration with the Toby Inlet Catchment Group, Friends of Commonage Reserves group and the City of Busselton.

It will kick off with an information session at the café, which is generously providing tea, coffee and cake for participants to enjoy during the info session.

Local weed guru and bush regenerator, Rick Ensley of Margaret River Naturals, will lead a walk and talk focusing on how to identify these troublesome weeds followed by a practical demonstration on how to control these species on your property.

Plus, there will be tips on what natives to plant instead to boost biodiversity on your property.

Tickets are free but spots are limited so registrations are essential at natureconservation.org.au

“This free event gives local residents the opportunity to meet their neighbours, learn about the values of their unique local bushland and more specifically the threat of woody weeds,” Nature Conservation biodiversity officer Obelia Walker said.

“We’ll wrap up the workshop with a gathering over a complementary glass of Happs wine to reflect on what we’ve learnt and discuss where to from here.”

“Once they were treasured garden plants, but we didn’t realise they could escape and become weeds in disguise when they take over our bushland,” Vikki Viela from Toby Inlet Catchment Group added.

“Some eastern states plants like Sydney Golden Wattle, Flinders Range Wattle and Blackwood dominate our local plants, and increase fire risk.

“We need help.

“Come along and learn how to identify and control these invaders to protect our bushland and its biodiversity.”

Nature Conservation staff will have other woody weed samples not seen on the day, while participants are encouraged to bring their own leaf, flower and seed samples or photos to ID any species they’re unsure of.

The workshop is the latest event in Nature Conservation’s woody weeds campaign, funded by the WA Government’s State NRM Program.