Most Hepburn residents would be aware of the problem that gorse and other noxious weeds have  created in the Central Highlands region.

Introduced as a hedge plant in the 1800s, gorse now grows freely on privately owned land, on roadsides, Crown land and in State forests. It forms dense impenetrable thickets that exclude desirable species, domestic and native animals, and can provide cover for feral animals such as rabbits or foxes.

Christina Boon, Communications and Community Engagement Officer, Victorian Gorse Taskforce.

Christina Boon, Communications and Community Engagement Officer from the Victorian Gorse Taskforce, was the April guest speaker at the Daylesford & District Horticultural Society monthly meeting

Christina is a Daylesford resident and spoke at length about the hazards of leaving gorse unattended, the possibilities of controlling it and ways and means of eradicating it.

If gorse is left uncontrolled, it will become an even more detrimental problem than it already is. The talk from Christina on Tuesday was an excellent awareness raising event.

Christina provided strategies to control the weed using both chemical and non chemical methods that can be adopted by each and every resident in the Shire. She said that the control of gorse cannot be left to a government department. Local participation is necessary.

The Horticultural Society was extremely pleased to be able to provide an opportunity for Christina to spread the word about gorse. All residents of the Shire are encouraged to read the information on the Victorian Gorse Taskforce website for their own awareness.

The Daylesford & District Horticultural Society meets monthly at the Senior Citizens room behind the Town Hall in Vincent Street Daylesford. The Society  invites different, relevant guest speakers each month. If you would like to know more about the Society, contact Horti@outlook.com

Annual membership in the Society is $15. Visitors are welcome. The next meeting of the Society is on May 7th at 7.30pm at the Senior Citizens room at the rear of the Daylesford Town Hall in Vincent Street.

This article was submitted by the Daylesford and District Horticultural Society.