Public Notice - Siam Weed Surveillance Program

Charters Towers Regional Council intends to conduct surveillance across the Charters Towers Region as part of the Siam Weed Surveillance Program.

The purpose of the Program is to:

confirm the presence or absence of Siam weed in the Charters Towers Regional Council local government area; Monitor the effects of measures taken in response to a biosecurity risk to which the Program relates posed by Siam weed within the Program area; Monitor compliance with the Act to ensure all people who deal with invasive biosecurity matter or a carrier are meeting their General Biosecurity Obligations (GBO); and Monitoring compliance with the Act for requirements in dealing with Restricted Invasive Plants.

The key activities undertaken by the Program include but are not limited to:

Aerial and ground surveillance visual inspections to verify the presence, absence or rate of spread of Siam weed. This may be conducted by ground crews on foot or by vehicle or using aerial techniques including Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) or low flying piloted aircraft; Surveillance activities may include the taking of photographic, electronic or physical evidence related to Siam weed, including photos and videos, GPS locations and plant or soil material for seed monitoring; and/or Requiring affected areas to provide details of a property scale Invasive Biosecurity Plan to manage the biosecurity risk of Siam weed.

Under the Surveillance Program the following obligation may be imposed on a person who is an occupier of a place to which the Program relates:

Affected areas are to provide details of a property scale Invasive Biosecurity Plan to manage the biosecurity risk of Siam weed.

The Program will begin on 1 June 2019 and will continue until 30 June 2021.

For further information or for a copy of the Biosecurity Program, please contact Council’s Planning and Community Services, on telephone 4761 5544 or visit www.charterstowers.qld.gov.au.

Aaron Johansson             Chief Executive Officer 

OGG 17 May 2019