Weed Control in the City of Vincent
The City is responsible for maintaining public open space (POS) including parks, gardens and road reserves. All areas of POS require various forms of weed management to sustain their intended function.
Chemical Weed Control
Wherever possible, weed control is undertaken using chemical free techniques or organic herbicides. In some situations however, these techniques are either not effective or not feasible and alternative chemical weed control is required.
Alternative weed control herbicides used by the City are either non-selective or selective. Non-selective herbicides are used for the control of both broadleaf weeds and grasses, whereas selective herbicides control either broadleaf weeds or grasses exclusively.
The non-selective herbicide used for weed control is glyphosate. For more information on glyphosate, please view the Glyphosate Information page. Instances where glyphosate is used include:
- Control of perennial running grasses and woody perennial weeds in parks, reserves and streetscapes (predominantly in garden areas and for the City’s Eco-zoning program)
- Footpath and kerbline weed spraying program
There are a variety of different selective herbicides which are predominantly used to control broad leaved weeds in turfed areas (e.g. for the control of bindi or prickle weed in turf). The specific herbicide used is determined by what weed is being targeted.
All Parks Staff applying chemicals are trained in the safe application and storage of herbicides used for our practices. Herbicides are applied in accordance with the label directions and signage is displayed as per the Heath (Pesticides) Amendment Regulation 2016.
Contractors engaged by the City who apply herbicides are closely supervised by City officers to ensure they comply with the relevant regulations and legislation.
Broadleaf Weed Control
Control of broadleaf weeds in turfed areas within parks and reserves is important to minimise the spread of nuisance weeds such as bindii prickle. Control of broadleaf weeds also reduces maintenance and water requirements of turfed areas by removing competing weed species.
The best time to carry our broadleaf weed control is in late winter/early spring once plants have germinated and before they set seed. This reduces the seed bank in the soil thereby reducing the occurrence of weeds in subsequent years.
The City has engaged a qualified contractor to undertake broadleaf weed control within turfed areas of selected parks and reserves as outlined below (subject to weather suitability). A selective broadleaf herbicide called Casper will be applied in accordance with the label directions and signage will be displayed onsite as per the Heath (Pesticides) Amendment Regulation 2016.
Passive Parks
Jack Marks Reserve,11 - 14 October (day to be confirmed), between 7am - 2pm
Hyde Park
Spring 2023
Sports Grounds
Spring 2023
New Technologies
As part of this year’s Footpath and Kerb line spraying program, the City has engaged a company that have adapted an agricultural product for urban use, that will vastly reduce the amount of chemical applied in controlling weeds. The newly adapted machine has a computer connected to two sensors/cameras that reflect light and detect chlorophyll. Upon detecting the weed, it calculates the speed and the distance between the sensor and the multiple spray jets. Once the spray jet is above the weed a high speed valve opens very briefly only spraying the weed, not a ’blanket’ spray of the entire surface area.
The main advantages are:
- It uses massively less chemical and you are only spraying what you need to (the weeds) on non-permeable surfaces.
- Less chemical, more efficient, less impact on the environment and no run off
The Footpath and Kerb spraying program is scheduled annually around September.