The Eurobodalla Shire Council will arrange free track cutting for any landholder needing access to control lantana on their property. The council also has 17 gas-powered spray guns for loan: free on-on-one training is provided.

The guns have proven effective in managing lantana, a highly-invasive weed of national significance. Wallaga Lake, at the southern end of the shire, is the weeds southern limit.

Council’s invasive species supervisor Paul Martin said lantana continued to spread in the Tilba and Narooma districts, despite concerted efforts by landholders and council.

“We decided to take a more proactive approach, ” he said.

Bellbrook Farm is one of the largest private properties in Tilba and jointly managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Gulaga National Park Board of Management.

NPWS ranger Sophie Hall-Aspland said they’ve been impressed by the program.

“The knowledge and practical help offered by the council has allowed us to all work together to get lantana under control on Bellbrook Farm,” she said. 

The council’s environment project officer Mitchell Jarvis said results were good on the 12 properties involved in the Narooma and Tilba districts so far.

“We’ve had about a 95 per cent reduction in lantana on those properties involved,” he said.

“Lantana has a relatively short seed life, so if landholders act now, we hope to get rid of it from the southern region within the next couple of decades.”

Landholders interested in being part of the program should contact council’s invasive species team on 4474 1000.