In a statement released last week, EcoNetwork Port Stephens called out garden centres for contributing to the nation’s weed issue.

Advertise with News of The Area today.
It’s worth it for your business.
Message us.
Phone us – (02) 4981 8882.
Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au

“Relying on garden centres such as Bunnings, and plant nurseries to do the right thing has not worked, despite available listings of garden plants most prone to becoming weeds,” an EcoNetwork spokesperson told NOTA.

“Regulation is urgently overdue and essential to protect our local biodiversity.

“In addition, it is frustrating and unfair for hardworking volunteers who give up their time to remove weeds from their neighbourhood parks and reserves to see these same plants on sale.”

Friends of Tomaree – Fishermans Bay coordinator Josephine O’Brien said garden centres continuing to sell these plants continues to create “extra work” for volunteers.

“Just look at the gazanias covering the headland at Fishermans Bay,” she said.

“There are so many other invasive species that Bunnings sells that our local landcare groups remove – dietes, mother-in-law’s tongue, non-local wattles, fish bone fern, asparagus sp, canna lily.

“The list goes on.”

“It’s very disheartening seeing them for sale,” she said.

Port Stephens is now home to a huge number of weed species.

A few priority species are being targeted by Council’s Invasive Species unit, such as Chinese Violet, which started off as garden escapee in Boat Harbour.

“However, there are many more that continue to thrive and disperse, or be dumped, from private gardens causing not only a direct threat to our local biodiversity, but creating extra work for our volunteer bushcare groups,” the EcoNetwork spokesperson said.

Sue Johnson, a volunteer bushcarer from the Salamander Bay/Soldiers Point Landcare group, said, “Gazanias pop up at all our sites – Wanda Headland, Sunset Beach, Seaview Crescent (Bannisters), Sandpiper Reserve and Wanda Wetlands.”

Friends of Tomaree coordinator Sue Olsson said, “We are working hard to eradicate myrtle-leaf milkwort (Polygala myrtifolia) in Tomaree National Park, from Zenith Beach, Box Beach and Tomaree summit, though it’s prevalent on the adjacent Tomaree Lodge land.”

Bushcare groups do not point blame at customers or residents who purchase these plants unwittingly, but they are keen to support any moves to regulate the garden industry to ensure they don’t sell seeds or potted plants of many invasive varieties.

“For every plant sold that has weed potential, there are many other similar options that people can choose,” the EcoNetwork spokesperson said.

“For instance, if you look up gazania on the ‘Grow Me Instead’ website, you will find delightful alternatives such as native cut-leafed daisies or fanflowers.”