Bitou bush to be removed

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has announced "a massive operation" to remove bitou bush from the Maitland Bay area of Bouddi National Park.

Service staff, bush regenerators and volunteers will be involved.

NPWS regional manager Mr Tom Bagnat said that the work would take place at Maitland Bay Beach and nearby Bouddi Point, home of the wreck of PS Maitland.

The "war on weeds" will include hand removal of seedlings along the beach, spraying of weeds from the water and abseiling down cliff faces to spray inaccessible areas of bitou bush.

"There will be extensive hand weeding of seedlings along the entire beach front and the hind dune at Maitland Bay beach, while weeds at the eastern end of the beach, near Bouddi Point will be sprayed.

"This will require access from the NPWS boat because of the remote location of the area and lack of vehicular access.

"Finally, we will try and remove bitou bush from cliff faces in the area, where specially trained staff will use ropes and abseiling techniques to access these areas."

Mr Bagnat said that the control of weeds in bushland along the Central Coast was extremely important to improve the habitat for local native species of plants and animals.

Bitou bush, which originates from the coastal areas of South Africa, is recognised as the worst coastal weed in NSW where it infests 80 per cent of the coastline.

Initially planted between 1946 and 1968 along the coastline for dune stabilisation, the plant has spread to become a weed.

A mature bitou bush plant can produce up to 50,000 seeds per plant per year, is a real concern for coastal bushland.

Mr Bagnat said that bitou bush flowered between April to June, with seed production quickly following so this was the time to remove it before it had the chance to seed and spread even further.

The work to be carried out at Maitland Bay is part a comprehensive pest management program implemented across the region by NPWS.

Press release, April 8