Good Neighbours Program

Local Land Services is delivering the NSW Government program to support landholders in the fight against pests and weeds at the boundaries between privately owned land and publicly managed land.

Two men talking and walking side by side away from the camera along a mowed paddock with trees and long grass in the background and a fence in the foreground.
Local Land Services staff stand in front of a car talking to a farmer who points into his property.

About the program

Local Land Services' Good Neighbours Program aims to protect the NSW economy, environment and community by investing in pest and weed management through enhanced collaboration, training and coordinated control activities.  

Key information

  • Over 70% of NSW’s threatened species and endangered ecological communities are impacted by invasive species. 
  • Effective pest and weed management is critical for maintaining ecological balance, agricultural productivity, and biodiversity.  
  • The NSW Government will bring key stakeholders together to deliver a coordinated program to manage pest and weed infestations where public and private land boundaries meet.

 

Objectives

Foster collaboration between public and private land managers to improve pest and weed management across boundaries.

Enhance pest and weed management efforts through coordinated, multi-agency control activities in priority areas.

Build community capabilities and understanding of the Biosecurity Act 2015 through engagement and targeted training.

Improve public reporting and data sharing on pest and weed management. 

Our approach

Good Neighbours Program activities include: 

  • agency-run programs
  • boosting and collaborating with other existing programs and projects.
1

Establishment

Work in 2024 included:

  • setting up a governance model and structure
  • creation of a stakeholder reference group
  • conducting an environmental scan
  • behavioural insights research
  • project selection. 
2

On-ground work

Stakeholder engagement is underway between Local Land Services (LLS) and public and private land managers.

On-ground activities commence in February 2025.

3

Close

The program is set for completion by 30 June 2026. 

Local Land Services staff standing in front of pig trap.

Projects

Image

A herd of goats walk along the curb of an urban street.

Tamworth Peri-Urban Pest Plan

North West Region

LLS is supporting Local Control Authorities to develop and deliver a pest plan to manage invasive species in Tamworth’s peri-urban areas.

Image

A field of invasive cactuses amongst scrubland.

Boxing Glove Control

Western Region

LLS is supporting land managers to reduce the spread of Boxing glove cactus through Sturt National Park and the Tibooburra area.

Image

A cactus in the middle of scrub grasses.

Jumping Cholla Control

Western Region

LLS is managing cacti in Broken Hill area and surrounding stations.

Image

A bright orange flower cluster close up amongst a green field.

Orange Hawkweed Control

South East Region

LLS is supporting this control with funding to improve the effectiveness of the current program, by enhancing surveillance and on-ground surveys.

Bathurst Forestry Weeds Plan

Central Tablelands region

LLS is partnering with Foresty Corporation NSW to reduce weeds in high priority areas such as riverbanks and areas bordering private land managers.

Partner:

  • Forestry Corporation NSW.
Blackberry and St John’s Wort Strategic Weed Management and Control

Central West region

LLS is supporting the coordinated and strategic control of Blackberry and St John’s Wort impacting Goobang National Park’s biodiversity.

Partner:

  • NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Cane Toad Management

North Coast region

LLS is working with multiple agencies and programs to increase the control success of cane toads and reduce their impacts on the community.

Partners:

  • Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
  • Forestry Corporation NSW.
Central Tablelands Feral Pig Management

Central Tablelands region

LLS is increasing the success of alternative control measures for feral pigs impacting the Central Tablelands forestry areas and neighbouring private landholders.

Partners:

  • Forestry Corporation NSW.
Chinese Violet Management

North Coast region

LLS is partnering with Local Control Authorities to support landholders in eradicating Chinese Violet on properties on the verge of the World Heritage-listed Wollumbin National Park and Jerusalem National Park.

Partners:

  • NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
  • Local Control Authorities.
Far South Coastal Weeds Management

South East region

LLS is working alongside Far South Coast Landcare Association, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Local Control Authorities to control coastal weeds including Bitou Bush and Sea Spurge along priority beaches.

Partners:

  • Far South Coast Landcare Association
  • NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
  • Local Control Authorities.
Forestry Pest Management Neighbour’s Program

Western, Central West, Central Tablelands, North West, Riverina and Murray regions 

LLS is supporting Forestry Corporation NSW to manage pests, specifically pigs and foxes, along boundaries with private land managers.

Partners:

  • Forestry Corporation NSW.
Hudson Pear Management

Western region 

LLS is supporting the Western region to manage Hudson Pear, which is impacting private landholders and Kinchega National Park.

Partners:

  • NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
  • Local Control Authorities.
Job’s Tears Eradication

North Coast and other priority regions

LLS is supporting Local Control Authorities to eradicate Job’s Tears throughout multiple LLS regions. 

Partners:

  • NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
  • Local Control Authorities.
Koala Habitat Restoration

North Coast region

LLS is supporting the current Koala Habitat Restoration Program to increase the control efforts of priority pest and weeds, in areas of regional koala significance.

Partners:

  • Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
  • Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Local Control Authorities.
North Coast Feral Deer Management

North Coast region

LLS is working alongside Local Control Authorities, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Forestry Corporation NSW to increase the success in reducing feral deer impacts.

Partners:

  • NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
  • Forestry Corporation NSW.
North Coast and Northern Tablelands Feral Pig Management

North Coast and Northern Tablelands regions

LLS is supporting the efforts of NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Local Control Authorities and the North Coast community in a broad scale pig control approach across 12 reserves and associated private landholders.

Partner:

  • NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Parthenium Weed Eradication

North West region

LLS is increasing the Parthenium Weed Program to improve eradication efforts alongside Croppa Creek and prevent spread across the region.

Partner:

  • Local Control Authorities.
Red Cestrum Management and Control

North Coast region

LLS is partnering with Local Control Authorities to increase the control of Red Cestrum across the Dorrigo Plateau.

Partner:

  • Local Control Authorities.
Tropical Soda Apple Eradication

North Coast region

LLS is partnering with Local Control Authorities to eradicate Tropical Soda Apple throughout multiple Local Land Services regions. 

Partners:

  • NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
  • Local Control Authorities.
Wild Horse Cross Tenure Eradication Program

North Coast region

LLS is taking an integrated approach to addressing the wild horse population in the Barcoongere area to reduce the safety risks to the community.

Partners:

  • NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
  • Forestry Corporation NSW.
World Heritage Area Feral Deer Management

Central Tablelands, Hunter, Greater Sydney and South-East regions 

LLS is collaborating with multiple key stakeholders to enhance the protection of the World Heritage Area through feral deer management.

Partners: 

  • NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service 
  • Invasive Species Council 
  • Forestry Corporation NSW.

Building capabilities

The Good Neighbours Program will be delivering biosecurity workshops and events across NSW. 

Visit the LLS events page to search for upcoming events.

Register now

Local Land Services staff member talks to a gathering of landholders.

Funding and partnerships

The NSW Government has committed $10 million to delivering the Good Neighbours Program. This Local Land Services program aligns with NSW biosecurity goals and will help fund and support collaborative and coordinated management activities, targeting best practice pest and weed management issues at boundaries between public and private land. 

Related information

For further information about the Good Neighbours Program, email goodneighbours@lls.nsw.gov.au or call 1300 795 299.

Contact Local Land Services NSW

Our team welcome your enquiries, feedback and comments. 

Online customer enquiry form

Search your LLS office

Local Land Services is moving to nsw.gov.au. During the change, you might find the information you are looking for at lls.nsw.gov.au

Phone:1300 795 299
Top of page