[DPI News 22/06/09] Victoria currently has a significant number of alligator weed infestations, with the majority found in metropolitan Melbourne. There are also two known regional isolated infestations in Bendigo and Warragul. Alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides) is a state prohibited weed and a weed of national significance. It is highly invasive, spread by fragmentation. It grows in both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. It can quickly cover water bodies; impacting on flora, fauna and recreational activities.
Alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides)
This year isolated infestations have been targeted for intense eradication efforts. Eradication involves extensive surveillance. Surveys around the infestations were conducted, with no further infestations being detected. In Bendigo the surveys went as far as Kow Swamp near Echuca. Kow Swamp is a significant aboriginal site with human skeletal remains possibly as old as 15,000 years. It is also an important wildlife sanctuary supporting an abundance of birdlife and is a popular fishing destination.
During May, DPI Officers waded through tall reeds and mud to inspect fourteen kilometres of shoreline around Kow Swamp. Fortunately, no alligator weed was found, and officers are ready to repeat the survey again next year, this time armed with insect repellent.
