Cultural burning to help combat weeds in the Balonne Shire

February 15, 2021

Balonne Shire Council will introduce cultural burning techniques to diversify weed management with the help of a $744,746 grant from the Australian Government, Maranoa MP David Littleproud has announced.

Balonne Shire Council, in collaboration with project partners the Queensland Murray Darling Catchment Limited and the University of Southern Queensland have been awarded $744,746.31 through the Federal Government’s $13 million Advancing Pest Animal and Weed Control Solutions Competitive Grant Round.

Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, and Federal Member for Maranoa David Littleproud congratulated the Balonne Shire Council on their successful grant application.

“It’s great to see Balonne Shire Council showing true initiative in working with the Queensland Murray Darling Catchment Limited and the University of Southern Queensland to help combat weed species in the region,” Mr Littleproud said.

“This project will trial indigenous cultural burning and cool burning practices to manage weed species and utilise traditional knowledge to target herbicide resistance.

“I look forward to positive outcomes from this project for land holders and the environment.”

The project is one of 19 funded nationwide through the $13 million Advancing Pest Animal and Weed Control Solutions Competitive Grant Round, to research and advance breakthrough solutions to control of some of Australia’s worst established pest animals and weeds.

Grant round projects will deliver a range of control solutions leading to more cost effective and safer alternatives to manage pest animals and weeds, targeting over 30 weed species and 15 pest animals/invertebrates.

“Successful projects will shift away from traditional pest animal and weed management approaches to develop new and emerging technologies,” Minister Littleproud said.

“The grant round projects will assist in overcoming emerging issues such as herbicide resistance and provide more effective alternatives for controlling pests.”

Successful projects will share $13 million over the next three years which will be supported by close to $12 million in other cash and in-kind support to add value to the program.

Further details on the grant round and a list of successful applicants is at https://www.agriculture.gov.au/pests-diseases-weeds/pest-animals-and-weeds/grant-round