Cr Kathy Duff - Natural Resource Management Portfolio Report - 18 April 2018

Biosecurity

Weed Management on Roadsides

Contractors have undertaken weed control on roadsides in the following areas:

• Lantana treatment in Nanango
• Giant Rats Tail control over Shire roads was undertaken with numerous new infestations noted within the road corridors
• Lantana control in Blackbutt and East Nanango localities
• Annual Rag Weed control in known areas

Strategic Control and Surveillance

Contractors are undertaking Parthenium inspections and Water Hyacinth control on Barambah Creek downstream of Cherbourg Shire Council. All properties inspected to date have varying levels of Parthenium infestations. This demonstrates the ongoing threat of seed movement from larger infestation of Parthenium within Cherbourg Shire Council. Giant Rats Tail inspections are continuing with varying degrees of control amongst properties observed. Groundsel Bush private property inspections are still continuing. We have been working closely with Cherbourg Council and have arranged a good partnership for parthenium control. Our Council have offered to do the mapping and the management plan including engaging the contractors and Cherbourg Council are resourcing the project. We are currently negotiating a five (5) year strategy with Cherbourg as the parthenium in the upstream catchment of Barambah Creek has the potential to  create huge issues for our farmers downstream.

Feral Animal Management

Wild dog control

• 9 Landowners using 1080 meat baits covering a total area of 4013 hectares

Feral Pig control

• 30kg of 1080 impregnated Grain was provided to landowners.
• 20kg of 1080 impregnated meat baits was provided to landowners

Assistance Programs

• Splatterguns to  Booie, Corndale ,
• Trailers to Kingaroy, Bullcamp, Wooroonden

Weed Control Trailers were assigned to the following areas:

1. Kingaroy to control Lantana
2. Bullcamp to control Lantana
3. Woorooden to control Lantana

Splatter Guns

Splatter guns were requested and allocated to landowners in Booie and Corndale for the control of Lantana and Boxthorn.

Feral Animal Traps

• 1 dog cage trap hired out Nanango East
• 2 cat traps hired out Tingoora and Crawford areas
• 6 wild dog foot traps hired out to landowners in the Hivesville and Memerambi areas

Wandering Stock Management

Livestock call outs were undertaken in the following areas:

Mt McEuen – Horses, East Nanango – Cattle, Kumbia – cattle, Tarong – Horses, Wondai – cattle and Wilkesdale – Pony.

• Steel yards hired out in South Nanango for Goats

Capex and Works 4 Queensland

Capex

• Helipad construction due to start next month
• Yallakool Pool repairs have now included new pumps