Select coastal locations along the Coffs Coast will be temporarily closed for up to 4 hours from Monday 19 June to Friday 23 June 2017, weather permitting, as part of an aerial control program by National Parks and Wildlife Service and Coffs Harbour City Council for the introduced weed bitou bush.
The areas to be affected by the control program are:
- Boambee Beach and Corimbira (South headland of the harbour and old quarry site) – Coffs Harbour City Council
- Darlington Park to McDougal Street Corindi – Coffs Harbour City Council
- 150 meters north of Corindi Caravan Park to Pipe Clay Creek – Coffs Harbour City Council
- Pipe Clay Creek to south of Red Rock township adjoining Yuraygir National Park – Coffs Harbour Local Aboriginal Lands Council (LALC)
- Fiddamans (Back Sandy Beach) – National Parks and Wildlife Service
- Moonee Beach (within Moonee Nature Reserve) – National Parks and Wildlife Service
“Regular radio broadcasts, on site signage and updates on the Coffs Harbour City Council’s website will keep the public aware of the status of the operation,” said Terry Thorn, Section Leader Roads and Open Spaces, Coffs Harbour City Council.
NPWS Senior Ranger (Pests) Tim Scanlon said “these areas will be closed for safety reasons for the duration of the spraying operation. The public are asked to refrain from using the beaches during the closure”.
“National Parks and Wildlife Service, along with Coffs Harbour City Council staff will be located at strategic positions to direct people away from the target areas and we ask for public cooperation in complying with any safety instructions given by these uniformed officers,” Mr Scanlon said.
The closures are part of the on-going control program for the introduced weed bitou bush. Bitou bush, a native of South Africa, is listed as a Weed of National Significance, a Declared Noxious Weed and a Key Threatening Process on the Threatened Species Conservation Act.
Mr Scanlon said “bitou bush can outcompete most native species, creating a South African monoculture instead of a beach supporting a huge range of native herbs, trees and shrubs”.
“Aerial spraying of bitou bush infestations with very low quantities of metsulfuron methyl in winter can control the weed whilst not affecting hundreds of native species, leaving them to grow and gradually replace it”.
Other control techniques being used include hand removal, cut-and-paint, ground-based foliar spraying and planting of native species.
Spraying operations are weather dependent and some delay in operations is possible. Council, NPWS and the Coffs Harbour LALC apologises to the public for any inconvenience.
For more information phone the Coffs Coast Office of NPWS on 02 6652 0900 or Coffs Harbour City Council on 02 6648 4000 or see the location Maps and updates on Council’s website.
