Chilean Needle Grass is flowering across parts of Murrindindi Shire, so landholders are being urged to look for the invasive weed now. Anyone who finds it should mark the area so it can be identified and treated. Treatment should take place over the next week or two, before seeds begin to fall. The grass can resemble native spear grasses, so correct identification is important. Council is also controlling the weed where it occurs, including between Molesworth and Homewood. Suspected sightings on public land should be reported to Council.
A coalition of rural community groups is demanding tougher laws on renewable energy developments. Regional Voices Queensland, an alliance of about 12 community action groups, met at a farm beside the Wambo Wind Farm at Diamondy. The group wants a minimum 3-kilometre setback from residences and up-front decommissioning bonds. Landholders say they want practical safeguards rather than opposition to renewable energy. Protections for neighbouring producers against contamination and impacts on agricultural accreditation are also being sought.
The Victorian Farmers Federation has launched a new partnership aimed at helping landholders achieve outcomes for both farm productivity and the environment.
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A targeted trapping program using motion-sensor cameras and specialist enclosures is helping landholders reduce feral pig numbers without harming native wildlife. Central Tablelands Local Land Services biosecurity officers are rolling out the system, which uses trail cameras and Pig Brig traps. Officers say it lets them identify which species visit an area, assess pig numbers and behaviour, and choose when to start trapping. A trial on a local mixed sheep and cattle property removed feral pigs with no non-target animals caught. Officers are now encouraging landholders to access the technology and free grain for trapping and baiting programs.
