For some years now FIDO has been battling with a variety of weeds on land in and around Happy Valley and Eurong on K’gari. FIDO is working with Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation Rangers on this project.
Biosecurity is so important everywhere, and especially on K’gari. Preventing non-native plants, animals, fish, insects and plant diseases getting onto the island is so important. Once here and established, they are very difficult, and in many instances impossible, to eradicate.
Many of K’gari’s weeds were originally brought to the island as garden plants, which escaped and became naturalised. This is a common story all over Australia (and the world for that matter). A good case study is two plants FIDO has been doing battle with for some years. Both were brought to K’gari as garden plants and became major pests.
Crab’s eye creeper (Abrus precatorius subsp. africanus)
Crab’s eye is an attractive sprawling perennial climber with insignificant mauve flowers but spectacular clumps of bright red and black seeds which can hang on the plant for up to two years. It has a very thick taproot that penetrates deep into K’gari’s sand making it very drought-resistant. During drought periods when other plants are looking stressed due to lack of water, this plant looks extremely healthy, as it sucks up water from deep in the sand where other more shallow-rooted plants can’t access it.
Crab’s eye is from Southern Africa and Madagascar.
The spectacular seeds contain one of the most toxic substances known, abrin. One seed, if chewed, is enough to kill an adult human. The seed has a hard seed coat that resists digestion if swallowed whole by an animal. Birds eat it and it passes straight through their digestive system, spreading it considerable distances.
Crab’s eye spreads over the ground, smothering native vegetation. It will also extend into the tree canopy where it also smothers and kills small shrubs and trees.
FIDO has put years of work into controlling Crab’s eye at, and around, Happy Valley, which to the best of our knowledge, is the only place it exists on K’gari. We want to keep it that way, and especially prevent its spread into the National Park.
The population is now less than 1% than when we first started to control it in 2012.
It is a never-ending task. Birds spread the seeds, which because of the hard, resistant seed coat, can remain in the soil for a long time. We are doing all we can to prevent it invading other areas of K’gari.
Coral creeper (Barleria repens)
Coral creeper is a dense ground cover plant that can grow into a small bush. It comes from Africa. Like Crab’s eye it was brought to Eurong as a garden plant. It has bright green leaves and attractive salmon-coloured tubular flowers.
Despite years of work by FIDO and local resident David Anderson, Coral creeper is widespread around Eurong, including on Aboriginal Freehold Land. FIDO volunteers and Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation’s Rangers now have a major blitz underway at Eurong to get this weed under control.
Coral creeper spreads seeds by an unusual method. The seed pods “dehisce”; that is, they explode, scattering hundreds of small seeds up to 10 m.
Just as Crab’s eye is only found at Happy Valley, coral creeper is only at Eurong. Again, we are keen to ensure it does not extend to other regions of K’gari.
Should you or anyone you know wish to join the FIDO weed control volunteer team, please contact Peter on 0417 649 158 or email peter.shooter@gmail.com
FIDO runs at least 6 week-long trips every year to K’gari. Volunteers are required to do 4 hours of work each day, usually in the morning, then sight-see in the afternoon. FIDO provides all transport and accommodation. Volunteers are asked to pay $300 (waged) or $200 (unwaged) and provide one evening meal for the team of five people. FIDO provides all other food. It is a great way to see the island and make a real contribution to K’gari.
Article contributed by Peter Shooter, FIDO
