Avoid picking or eating blackberries while Council is spraying

Council is currently spraying blackberries during their growth period between November and March, and is urging the community not to eat them.

Blackberries are considered a noxious weed and Council is obliged to target and limit their spread under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994.

Blackberries are recognised as a Weed of National Significance (WoNS) in Australia due to their high degree of invasiveness, ability to aggressively spread and the economic and environmental impacts. Blackberries seriously threaten agricultural and natural ecosystems by out-competing crops and native vegetation. 

Council contractors have placed signs after spraying on roadsides, parks and reserves where possible as a safety measure for the community particularly during the blackberry fruiting season. But there are long stretches of roads and trails which may not have signage.

Council has a small window of opportunity to treat the weed during the active growth period for the best results. The plant is dormant for the rest of the year during the cooler months. 

We also target blackberries prior to the flowering/fruiting period. However, due to the plant's invasive nature and fast growth rate, we continue to target and treat during the fruiting period to further reduce it spreading.

As the mixture used is heavily-diluted, there has not been any scientific evidence of impact to animals that may eat the berries, though human consumption is not recommended, just to be safe.

Please contact the Bushland Team with any queries on 1300 368 333.