Hudson pear control program

Local Land Services is assisting landholders in North West NSW to treat Hudson Pear infestations with: 

• chemical spray access
• biological control (Chocineal) at the core infestation.

Project background

Hudson pear is a cactus with pink flowers and large spines. These spines have a sheath that can stay in a wound after the spine is taken out and can cause more pain and inflammation.

Estimates of the area of NSW infested by Hudson pear ranges from 60,000 to 100,000 hectares. It occurs in a variety of habitats including eucalypt woodlands, alluvial floodplains, shrublands and rocky outcrops

This weed:  

• has spines that can penetrate skin, shoes and tyres  
• can injure people, stock and pets
• reduces land value  
• displaces native flora  
• can kill native fauna including koalas  
• can make mustering difficult
• is incredibly invasive.  

The current distribution of Hudson pear is northwestern NSW including:

• Lightning Ridge
• Grawin  
• Glengarry  
• Cumborah.

Infestations have also been reported at:

• Broken Hill  
• Pilliga  
• Coonamble  
• Angledool
• Goodooga  
• Cobar
• Inverell. 

Project delivery

The program includes:  

• providing chemical access to landholders, free to those in identified priority areas  
• targeted spraying of Hudson Pear outliers and high-risk containment zones
• continued biological control of the core Hudson pear infestation
• community education.

Work underway

A Hudson Pear Taskforce has been created to oversee the program, made up by an independently chaired committee which includes:

• industry bodies
• state agencies
• local government
• landholders
• interest groups.

Chemical is currently being supplied to landholders for the following uses:

• establishment of containment zones outside core infestations of Hudson pear to maintain/progressively shrink containment lines or manage new outbreaks
• local eradication of outlier incursions in strategic locations
• creation of buffer zones by landholders in core infestation areas around high spread risk zones/pathways on their property such as roads/tracks, infrastructure and property boundaries.

Landholder chemical access will not target treatment of the core infestation of Hudson pear. In these areas the biological control (Cochineal) will continue to be distributed and established.

How to get involved

Currently, landholders with Hudson pear on their property in the Brewarrina and Walgett shires can submit an expression of interest to gain access to chemical.

Eligibility

To be eligible, landholders must:

1. hold a current AQF3 chemical certificate to obtain chemical supplies.
2. be able to demonstrate that proposed activities are over and above any statutory landholder requirements for weed management under the Biosecurity Act 2015
3. be willing to agree to enter into an agreement for the provision of herbicide.

Chemical, wetter and dye will be supplied. Landholders are required to pick up the chemical at the collection point.

Chemical will not be supplied to contractors or sub-contractors on behalf of landholders.

Allocation of amounts of chemical will be informed by project scale, relative priority to other projects, activity completion and chemical stock availability.  

Limits to chemical supply will be considered if the program becomes fully subscribed.

Chemical is not being supplied to landholders for:

• statutory weed control
• clearing of native vegetation
• activities that have already been completed.

Apply now