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East Kimberly Agricultural Asset Protection

The Rubbervine threat

Rubbervine (Cryptostegia grandilflora) is a weed of national significance and regarded as one of the worst weeds in Austalia. It has devastated vast areas of north Queensland and threatens much of the Kimberly region of Western Australia.

Rubbervine smothers riparian vegetation and forms dense impenetrable thickets. This decreases biodiversity and prevents access to both stock and native animals

Rubbervine is known to be present at three locations in the Kimberly : the Bow and Ord river close to lake Argyle; Limestone Creek on Lissadel Station south of Kununurra and on the Fitzroy River at Willare.

Project snapshot

Location East Kimberly, WA
Workforce 4-6

Our weed management solution

Territory Weed Management has been engaged by the WA Dept of Agriculture and Food and Ord Land and Water to assist in control of rubbervine for the past 10 years.

Access is difficult. A typical controlprogram will involve setting up cam as close as possible to the site and using small boats to get to site. From there the target areas are transversed on foot, often in a grid pattern, and the age and location of all rubbervine plants recorded on GPS.

Control methods

Control is often by cut stump method – the stem of the plant is cut as close as possible to ground level and a herbicide gel applied to the cut surface to kill the plant. All seed pods are collected and destroyed.