Coastal cliff hanger to take on invasive weeds

The Crown Lands Division of NSW DPI has hired an expert abseiler willing to put his body on the line to stop invasive weeds on the rugged coastal cliffs of the far NSW south coast. 

Senior Environmental Officer, Noel Whittem said the Bega Valley coastal headlands and cliff-face environments have been susceptible to invasive weeds because of their rugged terrain and poor accessibility. 

“We have some of the most intact coastal ecosystems in the country and invasive weeds are one of the biggest threats to these precious coastal vegetation communities,” Mr Whittem said.   

“Following a grant of $12, 000 from the Crown Lands Weeds Fund, we have engaged the service of abseiling expert Geoff Beisler.  

“Geoff will be able to hang from cliffs along 10km of Bega Valley coastal headlands and cliff-face environments and remove or spray some of our most invasive coastal weed species,” he said. 

Mr Whittem said the abseiler will be seen hanging around cliffs at Cuttagee, Bermagui, Tathra, Tura, Pambula Beach and Eden in the coming months. He will be in pursuit of bitou, boxthorn, polygala and various succulents hiding within the crevices. 

The Cliff-face Project is being carried out under the direction of the multi-agency Coastal Weeds Committee. Committee coordinator Stuart Cameron said the project compliments the highly successful beach weed sweep program which has been undertaken by local Koori work crews. 

“The beach sweep controls sea spurge, beach daisy and various other coastal weeds on beaches from Nadgee in the south to Bermagui in the north,” Mr Cameron said. 

"But, up until now, the control of weeds on difficult and dangerous cliff sites has been a major gap in the project. 

“It was particularly serious because bitou, boxthorn, polygala and succulents tend to establish very successfully on cliff sites that can only be dealt with by trained professionals,” he said.  

The Coastal Weeds Committee comprises representatives from Crown Lands Division of NSW DPI, Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority, Bega Valley and Eurobodalla Shire Councils, National Parks & Wildlife, the Far South Coast Landcare Association, and the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment. 

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