Council hedges bet on Duranta replacement

Did you know Gympie Regional Council maintains about 2658 square metres of hedge around the region? Over the next week, council staff will be working to replace the hedging at the Reef Street Roundabout and in Memorial Park.

Many residents of the region would be familiar with the Golden Duranta, or Sheena’s Gold plant. It is a common species used for hedging and grows well in our subtropical climate. Sheena’s Gold is also used by council in many gardens, particularly in the CBD.

Duranta is native to Central and South America and was introduced to Australia as an ornamental plant. While attractive, Duranta has attained environmental weed status in Queensland due to its fast growth, high germination rates and tendency to invade disturbed areas of native vegetation and road reserves.

In the CBD area, high profile parks and gardens are often hedged at least once per week during the warmer months. Managing the fast growth rates of Duranta requires a significant level of resourcing. It is for this reason council will carry out a staged reduction, removal and replacement program of the hedges with native species.

Replacing the Duranta with a less aggressive native species will not only be a more effective use of council’s resources, it will maintain the character of the precinct, and importantly be environmentally responsible.

Traffic control will be in place during these works. For more information, contact council on 1300 307 800.