Weeds

Every landholder should, as far as they are able, prevent weeds from establishing on their land and impacting upon neighbouring properties.

Identifying weeds

The first step to controlling weeds on your land is to correctly identify them. You may find the following resources useful:

• The booklet Garden Escapes in Bushland and Reserves contains many common garden weeds
• For smartphone users the free iNaturalist app uses artificial intelligence and experts to identify photos taken of weeds (Google Lens or similar visual search functions may also help)
• The website New South Wales Flora Online run by the National Herbarium of NSW is useful for searching for weeds that have naturalised in the State
• Council staff are always willing to help you identify weeds; take some good photos and send them through the Online Services Portal or email hsc@hornsby.nsw.gov.au

Controlling weeds

Different weeds require different control methods. The following resources are useful for finding best-practice information on the control of many types of weeds:

• NSW WeedWise
• Weeds Australia
• Australian Association of Bush Regenerators
• Sydney Weeds Network
• Weed removal fact sheets for bush regenerators
• Bush Regeneration Handbook

Getting help with my weeds

Landholders unable to control their weeds themselves may like to try one of the following options:

• Engage specialist bush regeneration contractors to undertake the work at competitive rates; many are listed on the Australian Association of Bush Regenerators website
• Engage qualified arborists or garden maintenance operators; search online or in local newspapers
• For frail people, carers, or those with mobility impairment, try Easy Care Gardening, a subsidised gardening service by teams of volunteers

Although Council cannot control your weeds for you, we are always willing to provide advice. Please contact us through the Online Services Portal or email hsc@hornsby.nsw.gov.au.

Large infestations

Landholders with extensive infestations of weeds on their property should develop a weed management plan. This will help you approach control strategically and avoid becoming overwhelmed by the enormity of the task. Given time and persistence, it is often possible to eradicate many weeds from your property.

Your weed management plan should use the following principles:

1. Correctly identify the weeds on your property, learn how they spread, and what the best-practice methods are for their control (see section ‘Controlling weeds’ above).
2. If the infestation spans several properties, involve your neighbours from the outset. Coordinating efforts will have much better long-term outcomes.
3. Determine the source of the weeds, the extent of the infestation and where the core areas are. You may find it helpful to represent this on a simple map.
4. Deal with the source of the weeds first. If this is not possible, then you will need to be prepared to continually contain their spread into the future.
5. Control plants in the sparser areas first before moving toward the core areas. The rapid removal of dense patches of weeds usually results in flushes of other weeds germinating.
6. Where weeds grow along creek lines, drainage lines, or on steep slopes, consideration should be given to the risk of soil erosion and the need for installing erosion control devices.
7. Start every session by going back over previously worked areas.
8. Six months after plants have been removed or killed, reinspect the area and control any regrowth or seedling germination.
9. As weeds are controlled it is good practice to replace them with local native species. These will help suppress seedling germination and provide food and habitat for local wildlife that may have come to depend on the weeds. Council’s Warada Ngurang Community Nursery grows a range of locally sourced native plants and holds frequent Native Plant Giveaway events for Hornsby Shire residents. Check Council’s website for upcoming events.

If you require help formulating a weed management plan, contact Council through the Online Services Portal or email hsc@hornsby.nsw.gov.au.

Regulated and notifiable weeds

Some weeds are regulated under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015. If you suspect State regulated plants or notifiable regional priority weeds, please contact Council through the Online Services Portal or email hsc@hornsby.nsw.gov.au. A list of all State regulated plants and regional priority weeds relevant to the Greater Sydney Region can be found here. For more information see the section ‘Weeds and the law’ on this webpage.

Noxious weeds

Up until 2017, the main piece of legislation dealing with weeds in NSW was the Noxious Weeds Act 1993, and plants listed under the Act were called ‘noxious weeds.’ This Acthas since been repealed and the term ‘noxious weed’ has no legal meaning and should no longer be used.

It is important that neighbouring landholders work together to control weeds on their properties. If, however, a neighbour refuses to play their part, Council does not have the power to force them to act, nor can Council become involved in disputes between landholders involving weeds.

The following may help to achieve the results you’re after:

1. If possible, lay the groundwork by actively cultivating a healthy, working relationship with your neighbour. This is a long-term investment of time and resources that may become extremely valuable in the future. Avoid the temptation to isolate from them, or to let past grievances be a barrier to your relationship.
2. Find an appropriate time to discuss your weed concerns with your neighbour in person in a calm and respectful way. Approach it as a shared responsibility, rather than solely their issue to deal with. They may not realise weeds are on their land, that they are causing you a problem, or know what to do about them. Offer to help them in any way you’re able or provide them with information from the sources listed in the section ‘Weeds on my property’ on this webpage. Try to reach a solid agreement about what should be done, by whom, and by when. If you are unable to talk effectively with your neighbour or the relationship has broken down, try communicating to them in writing.
3. If you cannot agree with your neighbour about what should be done, Community Justice Centres (CJC) is a free, government-funded service designed to help resolve disputes. Professionally trained mediators provide a safe, independent forum to sit down with the parties and attempt to resolve matters quickly.
4. If mediation with your neighbour fails or is not possible and you still wish to pursue the issue, the Land and Environment Court of NSW has the power to settle disputes relating to trees, hedges, vines, and bamboo under the Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006.

Regulated and notifiable weeds

Some weeds are regulated under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015. If you suspect State regulated plants or notifiable regional priority weeds are growing on a neighbour’s property, please contact Council through the Online Services Portal or email hsc@hornsby.nsw.gov.au. A list of all State regulated plants and regional priority weeds relevant to the Greater Sydney Region can be found here. For more information see the section ‘Weeds and the law’ on this webpage.

Noxious weeds

Up until 2017, the main piece of legislation dealing with weeds in NSW was the Noxious Weeds Act 1993, and plants listed under the Act were called ‘noxious weeds.’ This Acthas since been repealed and the term ‘noxious weed’ has no legal meaning and should no longer be used.

Council spends significant resources managing weeds on public land. The job is enormous, and the resources limited, so we target our efforts to protect the most valuable assets and achieve the most cost-effective outcomes.

Weeds in Council-managed bushland reserves

For information on how Council is managing weeds in bushland reserves across the Shire, see Bushland Management. If you would like to help control weeds in Council bushland reserves, consider becoming a Bushcare volunteer.

Weeds on Council-managed roadsides, nature strips, sportsgrounds, parks, and gardens

If you have concerns about weeds on roadsides, nature strips, sportsgrounds, parks, and Council-managed gardens, contact Council through the Online Services Portal. Please note that Council may not be able to action every weed concern. Prioritisation will be given to situations where weeds are posing a safety risk, are impacting traffic and pedestrians, or are affecting the proper functioning of infrastructure.

Regulated and notifiable weeds

Some weeds are regulated under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015. If you suspect State regulated plants or notifiable regional priority weeds, please contact Council through the Online Services Portal or email hsc@hornsby.nsw.gov.au. A list of all State regulated plants and regional priority weeds relevant to the Greater Sydney Region can be found here. For more information see the section ‘Weeds and the law’ on this webpage.

Noxious weeds

Up until 2017, the main piece of legislation dealing with weeds in NSW was the Noxious Weeds Act 1993, and plants listed under the Act were called ‘noxious weeds.’ This Acthas since been repealed and the term ‘noxious weed’ has no legal meaning and should no longer be used.

Much public land in Hornsby Shire (such as National Parks, Crown Land, and railway or motorway corridors) is owned or managed by other land authorities, and Council has no say on how they manage their common weeds.

For common, widespread weeds, contact the landholder directly. If you’re not sure who the landholder is, contact Council through the Online Services Portal or email hsc@hornsby.nsw.gov.au and we may be able to help determine who owns or manages the land. Major land managers in Hornsby Shire include:

• NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
  Email: npws.northwesternsydney@environment.nsw.gov.au
  Phone: (02) 8448 0400
• Crown Lands NSW
  Email: cl.enquiries@crownland.nsw.gov.auPhone: 1300 886 235
• Roads and Waterways – Transport for NSW
   Phone: 131 782
  Please note: many roads are managed by Hornsby Council. Check with Council if you’re unsure.
• Sydney Trains & NSW TrainLink – Transport for NSW
  Email: Use this feedback form
  Phone: 1300 656 999 (Environmental Feedback Line)
• Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council
  Email: metrolalc@metrolalc.org.au
  Phone: (02) 8394 9666

Regulated and notifiable weeds

Some weeds are regulated under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015. If you suspect State regulated plants or notifiable regional priority weeds, please contact Council through the Online Services Portal or email hsc@hornsby.nsw.gov.au. A list of all State regulated plants and regional priority weeds relevant to the Greater Sydney Region can be found here. For more information see the section ‘Weeds and the law’ on this webpage.

Noxious weeds

Up until 2017, the main piece of legislation dealing with weeds in NSW was the Noxious Weeds Act 1993, and plants listed under the Act were called ‘noxious weeds.’ This Acthas since been repealed and the term ‘noxious weed’ has no legal meaning and should no longer be used.

Noxious Weeds Act 1993 (NSW)

Up until 2017, the main piece of legislation dealing with weeds in NSW was the Noxious Weeds Act 1993, and plants listed under the Act were called ‘noxious weeds.’ This Acthas since been repealed and the term ‘noxious weed’ has no legal meaning and should no longer be used.

Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006 (NSW)

For neighbour disputes relating to trees, hedges, bamboo, or vines, the Land and Environment Court of NSW has the power to settle such issues under the Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006.

Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW)

In NSW, the biosecurity risk posed by weeds is managed under the Biosecurity Act 2015 and supported by the Biosecurity Regulation 2017. Weeds are regulated according to the risk they pose to the environment, community, and economy. Those that create the highest level of risk are called priority weeds. Management action, investment and compliance effort should be directed toward priority weeds.

Plants shown to pose a high biosecurity risk to NSW are called State priority weeds and are either declared prohibited matter (Part 4), placed under an emergency order (Part 5), a control order (Part 6), within a biosecurity zone (Part 7), or have mandatory measures specified that must be followed (S.24). It is illegal to contravene these regulations and serious penalties apply.

Plants shown to pose a high biosecurity risk to the Greater Sydney Region, are called regional priority weeds, and have recommended measures that are considered reasonably practicable to prevent, eliminate, or minimise their risks (see Appendix 1.2 of the Greater Sydney Regional Strategic Weed Management Plan 2023-2027).

A list and description of all State regulated plants and regional priority weeds for the Greater Sydney Region can be found here. If you think you’ve seen a State regulated plant or notifiable regional priority weed, please contact Council through the Online Services Portal or email hsc@hornsby.nsw.gov.au.

Authorised Council officers have powers to inspect any land within Hornsby Shire for these plants and enforce their control in accordance with the Biosecurity Act 2015 and the Greater Sydney Regional Strategic Weed Management Plan 2023-2027. More information of Council’s functions under the Biosecurity Act 2015 in relation to weeds can be found here.

Although they can be a nuisance, the Biosecurity Act 2015 considers common and widespread weeds to pose a low biosecurity risk and enforcement of their control not an effective use of resources. For more information on the Biosecurity Act 2015, visit NSW Department of Primary Industries.

Below is a list of all State Regulated Plants and Regional Priority Weeds for Hornsby Shire and the regulations (in red) that must be followed, and recommended measures that should be followed to discharge the General Biosecurity Duty. Click on the plants common name for information on its identification and control.

Rhizomatous Bamboo (Phyllostachys species)(PDF, 2MB)

BONESEED. A.K.A. “One of Australia’s worst weeds”

Alias: Chrysanthemoides monilifera subsp. monilifera
Height: Up to 3m
Last seen: Mount Colah, Glenorie, and lurking in full daylight around Hornsby Shire bushland
Known associates: Spread by birds.

Crimes:

• Producing 50,000+ seeds per plant (repeat offender)
• Invasion of native bushland
• Bullying innocent native species

Distinguishing features:

• Bright yellow flowers (July–Dec)
• Fleshy, toothed leaves with white downy hairs
• Green berries that ripen to black (suspiciously sweet-looking)

Mug Shots:

• Habit
• Fruit
• Flowers
• Roots(JPG, 2MB)
• Seedling(JPG, 766KB)

Crime scene photos:

• Plant in situation, destroying nature

Locations last spotted:

• Map(JPEG, 880KB)

WARNING: This shrub is deemed so dangerous it is illegal to move it from your property (including not stowing it away in your green bin).

Report all sightings to Hornsby Shire Council immediately. Let’s work together to bring boneseed to justice — we have a real chance of wiping it off our Shire’s map for good.

If you have encountered boneseed, please return to the scene of the crime each year to check for offspring.

Email hsc@hornsby.nsw.gov.au or phone 9847 6666.