Title: Cowra Shire Council on the hunt to control Chilean needle grass
[ABC News 17 Nov 2010] -- The Cowra Shire Council has embarked on a campaign
to control the outbreak of a dangerous weed. The recent rainfall has caused
Chilean Needle Grass to flourish on farms across the district. Kevin Nelligan
from the Council says weeds officers are spraying around the clock to try and
control the outbreak. He says if it's not contained grass seeds could end up in
the Lachlan River and the weed could spread to other areas.
"It has very low palatability," he said.
"It's an aggressive weed, it sets seeds at the top from a pinnacle, it also
sets seeds at the base so even with slashing or mowing the bottom seed still
forms."
Mr Nelligan is warning farmers to keep an eye out for patches of the weed
grass.
So far the Council has detected a large patch on a farm near Gooloogong but
the recent rainfall has helped the drought hardy weed spread.
Mr Nelligan says the barbs of the grass can harm newborn calves and lambs.
"We need to stop the spread of this weed in Cowra Shire now."
" The Shire is too valuable in the quality of land and in the productivity of
it and we must stop it in its tracks now.
Learn to recognise it, be vigilant, report it."
The Council will hold a weed management information session at the Binni
Creek field day.