Weed control is a time consuming and often expensive activity for anyone who has acreage or farming lands. The hills of Hunchy in the Blackall Range escarpment have a particular weed, Japanese Sunflower, that smothers cleared inaccessible areas preventing regeneration of native vegetation. The weed control is also difficult and expensive due to the steep and difficult terrain.
An innovative weed management demonstration is about to unfold using goats to browse the weedy landscape as an alternative to expensive traditional weed control techniques of brushcutting, bulldozing or spraying.
Maroochy Waterwatch will be working with Arborcare Qld to deliver the project over three properties on the Hunchy escarpment.
Cerran Fawns, CEO of Maroochy Waterwatch, said, “This project is about managing a herd of goats to eat the Japanese Sunflower in selected areas to determine if this a viable and cost effective option in weed control”.
She added, “This weed control method has been proven to be successful in the USA on some of their inaccessible weeds and it is exciting to demonstrate it here on the Sunshine Coast”.
This project is supported by SEQ Catchments, through funding from the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country and has extensive risk management around the use of goats. It is not a mere case of letting them loose on the sunflower. The goats will browse the weedy landscape using state of the art electro netting fence developed for temporary grazing which will also help in manage grazing of unsuitable poisonous vegetation for the goats.
Arborcare Qld have been engaged to manage the demonstration site using their eco grazing goats over the ten day period. Leo Phelan, Managing Director of Arborcare Qld said, “Considerable attention has been given to the management system of the eco grazing goats and goat health considerations throughout the demonstration site”.
As the eco grazing goats will only be eating sunflower and other woody weeds whilst on site, their diet will be supplemented with other feed to ensure they remain healthy. There will also be a goat vet on hand to provide advice if needed throughout the grazing of these environmental weeds.
Mr Phelan added, “In order to protect the goats from wild dog attack whilst on site we have bonded livestock guardian dogs use electro netting fence with a full time bushregenerator/shepherd looking over the goats during the day. At night the goats will be secured in a purpose built portable goat yard.
Whilst it is still early days with the Eco Goats project, if it is deemed successful it may be expanded to other areas and weed species.
