Maffra VSTWP Meeting: August 21

Now is the time to check your property for the noxious weed serrated tussock (Nassella trichotoma), with the Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party (VSTWP) coming to visit Maffra on Wednesday 21^st of August.

The VSTWP have big plans to support the local community in Eastern Victoria to manage the invasive grass Serrated tussock through a number of initiatives. They are keen to hear feedback from landowners and organisations interested in managing serrated tussock infestations and encourage them to attend the meeting in Maffra at the State Government Office.

The meeting will take place on Wednesday August 21, with lunch at 12pm, followed by the meeting from 12.30pm to 2.30pm. The location will be the State Government Office in Maffra: 1 Stratford Road. Maffra. 3860. Please RSVP to info@serratedtussock.com or 0417 541 719.

Serrated tussock has been spreading across Eastern Victoria over the past decade. This Weed of National Significance is present at several sites across Eastern Victoria, with the largest being around Maffra, Stratford and Bonang. Infestations are also known to exist at Seaspray, Sale, Bairnsdale, Briagolong, Forge Creek and Bushy Park, but it is feared there may be many infestations yet to be identified across the region.

It’s believed serrated tussock now covers more than 240,000 hectares of land in Victoria. Large infestations require ongoing management and the integration of several control techniques. Each mature serrated tussock plant can produce 100,000 seeds in a season, blowing up to 20 kilometres from the parent plant. The Victoria Serrated Tussock Working Party (VSTWP) advise land managers that having competitive pasture and good ground cover is one of the most important aspects to weed management. Lower spring rainfall has resulted in reduced pasture growth, so care must be taken to reduce overgrazing and ensuring fodder is free of weeds.