NSW DPIRD Agriculture and Biosecurity Surveillance Exercises: Mouse-ear hawkweed in Kosciuszko National Park | Matthew McGrath
Tracks
| Tuesday, August 5, 2025 |
| 12:00 PM - 12:20 PM |
| Parthenium Theatre |
Speaker
Matthew McGrath
State Priority Weed Coordinator
NSW DPIRD
NSW DPIRD Agriculture and Biosecurity Surveillance Exercises: Mouse-ear hawkweed in Kosciuszko National Park | Matthew McGrath
Abstract
DPIRD Agriculture and Biosecurity lead multi-agency responses and surveillance exercises across the state of NSW to delimit and control high-risk state priority weeds such as Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus), Mouse-ear hawkweed (Pilosella officinarum) Meadow knapweed (Centaurea x moncktonii, formerly Black knapweed), Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum), Miconia (Miconia spp), and Alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides). Authorised officers and other agencies from across the state join these surveillance exercises to assist in the detection and eradication of these weeds.
Mouse-ear hawkweed is one of 2 hawkweeds listed as prohibited matter in NSW. It is a small perennial herb that has single-stemmed yellow daisy flowers, hairy leaves and stems, and dense vegetative propagules that can form via stolons or rhizomes. Plants are frost tolerant and grow on a wide range of soil types. Cooler climates with higher rainfall are preferred yet the plant is highly adaptable, and Weed Futures predicts that the plant could cover a larger area than other hawkweeds in NSW.
DPIRD Agriculture and Biosecurity have led multi-agency surveillance exercises of mouse-ear hawkweed twice each season since 2023 resulting in the coverage of over 5ha of infestation sites at Mt Twynam in Kosciuszko National Park. These infestations are remote alpine sites at 2100m where surveillance exercise participants drive in convoys and then hike up to the top of the main range. Mouse-ear hawkweed can only be detected on foot and by detection dogs as the weed is too small to be detected by other surveillance technologies. The exercises are aimed at finding and treating all detected plants to prevent future seeding of mouse-ear hawkweed progressing towards eradication.
Key words: mouse-ear hawkweed; surveillance; response; Kosciuszko; eradication
Mouse-ear hawkweed is one of 2 hawkweeds listed as prohibited matter in NSW. It is a small perennial herb that has single-stemmed yellow daisy flowers, hairy leaves and stems, and dense vegetative propagules that can form via stolons or rhizomes. Plants are frost tolerant and grow on a wide range of soil types. Cooler climates with higher rainfall are preferred yet the plant is highly adaptable, and Weed Futures predicts that the plant could cover a larger area than other hawkweeds in NSW.
DPIRD Agriculture and Biosecurity have led multi-agency surveillance exercises of mouse-ear hawkweed twice each season since 2023 resulting in the coverage of over 5ha of infestation sites at Mt Twynam in Kosciuszko National Park. These infestations are remote alpine sites at 2100m where surveillance exercise participants drive in convoys and then hike up to the top of the main range. Mouse-ear hawkweed can only be detected on foot and by detection dogs as the weed is too small to be detected by other surveillance technologies. The exercises are aimed at finding and treating all detected plants to prevent future seeding of mouse-ear hawkweed progressing towards eradication.
Key words: mouse-ear hawkweed; surveillance; response; Kosciuszko; eradication
Biography
Matthew McGrath is a State Priority Weed Coordinator for Agriculture and Biosecurity, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development NSW.
He works in a team of State Priority Weed Coordinators across the state that focuses on preventing and eradicating High-Risk state priority weeds in NSW. Matthew works on prohibited matter weeds such as Mexican feather grass, Mouse-ear and Orange hawkweed. He coordinates projects and programs for the South East and Riverina regions in NSW. He previously worked for Local Government NSW for 9 years with extensive experience in invasive species management targeting surveillance, weed control, education and compliance.
