Avoid picking blackberries as spraying continues

The spray will kill the noxious weeds and reduce their spread.

Although most blackberry bushes are not yet producing ripe fruit, people are warned not to pick and eat blackberries on public land for their own safety.

Most of the treated plants will begin to die within a few weeks and fruit will not continue to ripen on bushes that have been sprayed.

Blackberries are a fast-spreading and highly invasive exotic weed that provide habitat for feral species such as foxes, rabbits, and cats. By spraying the bushes, we’re reducing the presence of pests and allowing native vegetation, which is out-competed by blackberry, to recover and regenerate.

Control of blackberries on private land is the responsibility of property owners.

When in doubt, people should assume the blackberries on council’s public land have been sprayed and are therefore unsafe to eat.

You can read more about how we’re working with our community to tackle noxious weeds on our website.