Biosecurity
General Biosecurity Obligation
Surveillance Program
Catchment Working Groups
A biosecurity risk exists when you deal with any pest, disease or contaminant, or with something that could carry one of these. For example, this includes moving diseased plant material, associated soil or equipment off the property.
A biosecurity event is caused by a pest, disease or contaminant that is, or is likely to become, a significant problem for human health, social amenity, the economy or the environment.
Biosecurity Act 2014 - General Biosecurity Obligation
On 1 July 2016, the Biosecurity Act 2014 replaced the Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002 for legislating the management of pest species in Queensland. Landholders do not need to know about all biosecurity risks but are expected to know about those associated with land management activities.
Residents' general biosecurity obligation means they need to ensure their activities do not spread a pest, disease or contaminant. Outlined below are the responsibilities that landholders are responsible for in relation to managing pest species within the Gladstone Region.
- Take all reasonable and practical steps to prevent or minimise each biosecurity risk
- Minimise the likelihood of the risk causing a biosecurity event and limit the consequences of such an event
- Prevent or minimise the adverse effects the risk could have and refrain from doing anything that might exacerbate the adverse effects.
Biosecurity Surveillance Program
Gladstone Regional Council will be undertaking a Biosecurity Surveillance Program from 22 May 2019 until 31 October 2019.This aims to monitor the presence, absence, compliance and levels of extent Giant Rats Tail Grass, Parthenium, Groundsel Bush, Chinee Apple and Parkinsonia, in accordance with the Biosecurity Act 2014.
The program will focus on areas that including: Agnes Water, Baffle Creek, Berajondo, Bororen, Colosseum, Deepwater, Euleilah, Eurimbula, Lowmead, Miriam Vale, Rodds Bay, Rosedale, Round Hill, Rules Beach, Seventeen Seventy, Turkey Beach, Captain Creek, Gindoran, Mout Maria, Mount Tom, Oyster Creek, Taunton, The Narrows, Raglan, Targinnie, Aldoga, Machine Creek, East End, Bracewell, Wurdong Heights, Benaraby, Mount Alma, Diglum, Tablelands, Wooderson, Taragoola, Burua, River Ranch, Darts Creek, Ambrose, Mount Larcom, Toolooa, Byelee, West Stowe, Iveragh, Foreshores, Boynedale, and Boyne Valley.
It is imperative Council monitor these pests and measure the effectiveness of control methods implemented by landholders.
The program will operate until 31 October 2019 and involve Council conducting property inspections to carry out controlled actions on pests in accordance with the Biosecurity Act 2014 and Council's Biosecurity Surveillance Program.
During a General Council Meeting on 7 May 2019, Gladstone Regional Council resolved to implement an invasive species surveillance program to monitor landholder compliance with the requirements about prohibited matter or restricted matter under the Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld).
A copy of the Biosecurity Surveillance Program is available for inspection or purchase, free of charge, at any Council Office or Rural Transaction Centre.
Biosecurity Surveillance Program
Catchment Working Groups
Gladstone Regional Council supports the establishment of Community Catchment Working Groups throughout the region to provide information and advice on pest management topics.
If residents are interested in establishing a catchment working group, please contact Council, who can provide further information and assistance.
The following Catchment Working Groups are currently active within the region:
- Boyne Valley Catchment Working Group - Coordinated by Capricornia Catchments
- Miriam Vale Rural Science & Landcare Society - Not coordinated by Council.