Arrived on machinery? It is suspected the terrible inkweed, Phytolacca octandra L, arrived on the island on dirty agricultural equipment. It is rampant on the East coast.

From garden treasures to garden escapees – environmental weeds of the Currie area (and beyond) include Asparagus fern, Cape ivy, Cotoneaster, Bridal creeper, Polygala or Fringe-myrtle, Blue periwinkle, Dolichos pea, NZ Pittosporum or Karo, English ivy, African boxthorn, Three cornered garlic or “onion weed”, Coprosma or evergreen, Macrocarpa pin seedling, Gazania. For photographs of these weed species download: TARGET WEEDS FOR KING ISLAND

View the Weed Image Gallery & Weed Calendar 2013 -14

Time to tackle Asparagus fern

The problem– Asparagus scandens, aka Asparagus fern, has completely covered large areas of our waterways, particularly Fraser River, and along Grassy Rd. It is also rampant around Currie, Grassy and Naracoopa, and is increasing in density in many of our precious forest areas. It has the ability to completely smother all the medium and ground level native plants in areas it invades. Asparagus fern will invade and destroy all of our native vegetation if we allow it to continue spreading.

The Birds of King Island group and visiting ecologists have grave concerns about the impact Asparagus fern is having, and will have in the future as it spreads further, on the habitat (home) of our native animals, particularly our critically endangered birds, the King Island Scrubtit and King Island Brown Thornbill, both little birds that are unique to King Island. We also have landholders who are very concerned about the impact of Asparagus fern on the essential natural areas of their properties.

Three established weed eradicator groups have formed, being Pegarah/Bischoffs road area, Reekara Rd area and a Currie group.

Maps of Asparagus fern across King Island can be found in the Asparagus Fern Management Plan 

Supported through funding from the Tasmanian Weeds Action Fund, a $5 million Tasmanian Government initiative funded until 2024. The funds provided by the Tasmanian Government will be invested with landholders, land managers, and other organisations to tackle weeds that are impacting valuable agricultural and environmental assets.

This plan will inform management of Asparagus Fern over the next 10 years. This is a live document that will be updated as new infestations come to light,  and as management progress is made. We encourage reporting of any Asparagus fern found outside the areas shown in the maps.

We have designed this plan to be used together with the national Asparagus Weeds Management Manual, rather than duplicate this information.

Contact Renae Gale, Landcare crew coordinator (relief). 0408 147 060. Email crewcoordinator@kingislandlandcare.org.au  or drop into the office at KIRDO, George St, Currie

Inkweed Eradication – Phytolacca octandra L.

We need your help! If you have seen this weed, see fact sheet, and know of its location, please contact us ASAP. Phone 0408 147 060 or email: crewcoordinator@kingislandlandcare.org.au

This weed can rapidly become an environmental and agricultural problem so we need to act NOW! A NEW INCURSION on King Island, first notified to KILG in 2016, was originally found on King Island around Fraser Road, North Pegarah and Pegarah Forest. Ten years later we find the weed has spread exponentially. The King Island Landcare Group continues an Inkweed control program, as funding allows, to eradicate this weed from King Island. More information about this weed:

  • Inkweed is a short lived perennial, woody-based, hairless herb to 2 m high and sometimes tinged with red.
  • Native to tropical America, Inkweed is now a weed of roadsides, creek lines, poorly-managed pastures and waste land where it is readily spread by birds.
  • It flowers mainly in spring and summer.
  • It contains a number of toxic compounds.
  • Has a flush of germination in spring and summer.
  • Flowers mainly November to May in SE Australia.
  • Reproduction: mainly by seed. It will re shoot from the base.
  • Short lived perennial surviving 2-3 years.
  • Toxicity: It contains a number of toxic compounds. In WA numerous cases of poisoning of horses, cattle, sheep, pigs and dogs have been reported. It is suspected of poisoning cattle, fowls and pigs in eastern Australia but the evidence is circumstantial. Overseas a few fatal cases of children eating the berries have been recorded. There is some confusion over the general toxicity.
  • For further information see this brochure

Our support for Inkweed and Asparagus fern work:

  • Barrier Creek & Catchment Inkweed and Asparagus Fern Control, a Landcare Tasmania Action Grant 2026 
  • Protecting and Restoring Habitat Critical for the survival of King Island Scrubtit and King Island Brown Thornbill in and around Colliers Swamp, Tasmanian Government Threatened Species Unit Partnership Grant.
  • King Island – Tolman’s Road Area Priority Weeds -Weed Management Plan has been developed for Tolmans Road Area and King Island as part of the Cradle Coast Priority Weeds Project supported by the Tasmanian Government 
  • Community Weed Education funded by TasPorts Community Grant Program 2024
  • Through funding from the Tasmanian Weeds Action Fund, a $5 million Tasmanian Government initiative funded until 2024. The funds provided by the Tasmanian Government will be invested with landholders, land managers, and other organisations to tackle weeds that are impacting valuable agricultural and environmental assets.  Supported by Landcare Tasmania through donations from the JM Roberts charitable trust.

     

Eradication of Serrated Tussock

Serrated tussock is a serious weed of pastures and native grasslands. It is a perennial grass native to South America.
Serrated tussock is a declared weed under the Tasmanian Weed Management Act 1999, and a Weed of National Significance (WONS). For more information see NRE website. For many years KINRM mapped and controlled an infestation of serrated tussock near Colliers Swamp, with good success. Unfortunately, a new incursion has been discovered so a renewed effort by KILG will go into this area, whilst surveillance of the original area continues. PLEASE keep an eye out for this weed when in the area between Colliers Swamp and Gentle Annie.

List of Tasmanian Declared weeds and environmental weeds on King Island

Click here to download the list

Controlling Pampas on King Island

A second KI Council project, funded by Cradle Coast NRM with assistance provided by the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country program, and managed by KINRMG, began building community awareness of this potentially damaging weed. Control methods will be demonstrated at heavily infested sites. Some control of outliers has been completed . For further information please call 64621825. Download more information on Pampas Grass on King Island.

Cradle Coast NRM WoNS project 2011-2013

Allowed us to continue follow up control of Weeds of National Significance. On King Island these are Bridal creeper and Boneseed in Currie bush areas; Serrated Tussock in the Red Hut area, and Blackberry nearby Lavinia State reserve.

We also target a number of other WoNS: African boxthorn, Asparagus fern, Canary and English broom
Other targets: Ragwort, Pampas grass, Onion weed (mainly in the north-west of King Island) and Spanish heath (Grassy)

King Island Council’s Wharf Rd Bush Restoration Project 2012-2013

This was a small sister project to the Currie Wharf bush restoration project, where Council got involved in continuing the restoration work across the road on their land. A bush walk identifying natives and weeds and visiting an almost weed-free part of the site was an inspiration to those who attended. We also began clearing out weeds and forming a track into what we now call ‘White Gum Gully’ and plan to make this a place people can sit and enjoy in future.

King Island Council contributed excavation of a section of large boxthorn and coprosma, which we then prepared and planted in community field days. See photos

ARTICLE EXTRACT:
Enthusiasm and amazing results in the gully of white gums An incredibly enthusiastic group of 14 people made a huge impact in the gully to the north of Wharf Rd on Saturday 23rd Feb. The area that used to be blocked by the prolific Currie weed, Polygala, is now clear, enhancing the beauty (and biodiversity), and making an access-way into this special little gully. For the explorer types, it is pretty easy to go in there now and have a look. This project is a KI Council project, funded by Cradle Coast NRM with assistance provided by the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country program. …An activity for 10 Days on the Island is also planned in this area, where weed materials, and other nest building materials that can be removed without negative impact, will be collected to build a replica of the nest that will be used in the Birds performance. All are encouraged to come along to these field days, it is awesome what many hands can achieve in a short time. As one volunteer said, “We are all enjoying the day out with like minded people and having such a lovely lunch together, and certainly feel a real sense of achievement.”

Sea Spurge

KILG is looking to coordinate a bio-control program in 2026 and are calling for expressions of interest to participate in the CSIRO Sea Spurge Biocontrol Program. Free release kits, training and support would be provided. 🌿 EOI’s close Friday, 29 May 2026

A Management Plan for Sea Spurge has recently been developed. This plan aims to provide a strategic and co-ordinated approach to community-based management of sea spurge (Euphorbia paralias) on King Island. It provides a practical framework for the management of sea spurge, concentrating on on-ground work, while keeping in mind the need for integrated management including other weeds and issues of concern around the island’s coastline. It provides volunteers, community groups, land managers, key stakeholders and professionals with a tool for attracting and applying human and financial resources that enable effective and strategic weed management actions.

Last Updated on 31 May 2026