Gamba grass fires can burn up to 8 times hotter than native vegetation fires.
Photo ©  Natalie Rossiter, Charles Darwin University

A feral weed is gaining a foothold across the Top End with the potential to harm wildlife, habitat, homes and some agribusinesses.

The Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland (Wildlife Queensland), in conjunction with the Queensland Conservation Council (QCC) and the Wilderness Society (TWS), says that gamba grass is a major threat to Queensland’s biodiversity. The three conservation organisations have allied to demand action from the state government.

The introduced African plant has the potential to destroy one of the world's last wild places – the northern savanna woodlands of Queensland and the Northern Territory, which are home to rare creatures such as the endangered golden-shouldered parrot.

'Gamba grass is Australia's worst weed according to leading scientists,' said Des Boyland, spokesperson for Wildlife Queensland. 'It was introduced to help the cattle industry and will end up destroying the natural habitat of northern Australia.'

Wildlife Queensland is demanding that gamba grass be declared a Class 2 Weed under the Queensland Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002.

Gamba grass was formerly promoted to the Queensland cattle industry by the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F) as a fodder crop.

Gamba grass has the potential to spread rapidly and smother native vegetation to produce a high fuel load that burns eight times hotter than native grass fires. Gamba grass fires kill trees and might endanger human property and life.

Bushfires involving gamba grass are difficult and dangerous to control. Rural fire brigades have expressed concerns about the threat the grass presents.

'The grass is impossible to contain to cattle properties and the control costs to government will accelerate in coming years if nothing is done,' added Mr Boyland.

Rio Tinto is reported to spend $200,000 annually controlling gamba grass infestations around its rehabilitation sites on Cape York.

Gamba grass is already a concern in the Northern Territory. It was the subject of a forum convened by Biosecurity Queensland in October 2007 because of the plant's potential to cause fires that would destroy much of the State's northern savanna woodlands.

News update 17 January 2008: The West Australian government has gazetted gamba grass as declared weed list in the state, saying it poses a fire risk and affects biodiversity. The WA government plans to eradicate all gamba grass in the state.

For more information on Wildlife Queensland's activities, call us on +61 7 3221 0194 or send us an email.