Inverell Shire Council has been successful in securing almost $40,000 in grant funding from Northern Tablelands Local Land Services to support the control of the invasive weed Osage Orange along the Macintyre River.
Osage Orange is a spiny tree or shrub characterised by bumpy, orange-sized fruit that competes with native vegetation and forms dense, thorny thickets that restrict access for people and animals, particularly within riparian zones.
Osage Orange has become highly invasive within the Macintyre River system, with seeds readily dispersed by water, livestock, birds and other animals, producing a milky latex from cut fruit, leaves and stems, which can irritate skin and eyes.
The objective of the program is to eradicate or significantly reduce Osage Orange infestations along approximately 15 kilometres of the Macintyre River, utilising approved herbicide applications to suppress this high-risk invasive species to help protect critical riparian ecosystems, improve water quality and limit further spread into surrounding agricultural and natural landscapes.
All works are required to be completed by 31 May
