Moorabool agricultural consultant Jim Seager has recently been elected as Chair of the Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party, the incorporated group responsible for overseeing serrated tussock control in Victoria.

A community representative since 2005, Mr Seager was elected at the Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party’s 2008 Annual General Meeting and will play a key role in driving community action to control the damage caused by serrated tussock within Victoria.

Serrated tussock is an invasive plant threatening environmental and agricultural values. It is estimated that serrated tussock costs the Australian economy $4 billion in lost production each year.

In Victoria, serrated tussock has infested over 82,000 hectares, and has the potential to spread further, with each plant producing 100,000 seeds per year between October and January.

Mr Seager admits that he did not know what serrated tussock was when he moved to Moorabool in 1991. Originally from Kangaroo Island in South Australia, he moved to Victoria in 1983, completing his Associate Diploma in Farm Management in 1985 at Marcus Oldham College in Geelong.

Mr Seager has since seen his fair share of serrated tussock, managing the 1700 acre “Emly Park” property in Moorabool from 1991 to 2007, where he significantly reduced the property’s serrated tussock infestation.

He said they were successful at containing serrated tussock on the property’s arable and non-arable land using integrated control techniques of boom spraying and revegetation with perennial pastures on the arable land, and aerial spraying and revegetation with trees on the non-arable land.

“Moorabool Shire landholders have been engaged in a constant battle to control serrated tussock,” Mr Seager said. 

“The region’s steep non-arable terrain creates a wind tunnel for serrated tussock seed spread.  However, landholders should not despair.  It is not impossible to control serrated tussock on non-arable land. 

“Effective long-term control involves neighbours working together.  This is the only way to effectively minimise seed spread.

“Long-term management plans that incorporate integrated control techniques are the most effective.  Landholders who have used native trees and perennial pastures to out-compete serrated tussock have been the most successful in achieving long-term serrated tussock control.” Mr Seager has demonstrated his commitment to improving the condition of land and waterways in the Moorabool Shire over the past 17 years. 

He has excelled in land management practices achieving the Weekly Times farm business award for Beef Producer of the Year in 2005. Currently member of the steering committee for the  Moorabool Gorge Recovery Project, chair of the Moorabool Landcare Advisory Committee, a member of the National Serrated Tussock Management Group, recent Chair of the Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party and starting his own business, Jim Seager Agricultural Consultant, in February this year.

The Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party works in partnership with key stakeholders to deliver the outcomes of the Victorian Serrated Tussock Strategy “Intensifying the attack on serrated tussock 2005 – 2010.”

Mr Seager said he will ensure the VSTWP continues to build strong partnerships with community groups and key stakeholders.

“This is essential to bring about serrated tussock control in Victoria.”

For more information on serrated tussock please contact Chelsea Wardrope from the Department of Primary Industries on (03) 5226 4680.