TRC identifies key areas for 2021-22 Biosecurity Surveillance Program

Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) this month (July) starts property inspections that are scheduled as part of the 2021-22 Biosecurity Surveillance Program.

TRC Parks and Recreation Services portfolio leader Cr Tim McMahon said while the entire Toowoomba Regional Council area was included in the surveillance program, Council had identified priority surveillance areas.

Cr McMahon said localities including Googa Creek, Emu Creek, Highgrove, Doctor Creek, Mount Darry, Greenwood, Kelvinhaugh, Wainui, Formartin, Wellcamp, Umbiram, Wyreema, Millmerran and Clontarf (see map) had been identified for purposes of confirming the presence and extent of invasive biosecurity matter.

“The 12-month program covers Council’s legislative requirements to monitor compliance with the Biosecurity Act 2014 (the Act) that ensures the management of prohibited and restricted biosecurity matter, or more broadly, invasive plants and animals,” Cr McMahon said.

“Individual properties across the Region will be selected for compliance monitoring based on the observable presence of invasive biosecurity matter or as a result of a complaint raised with Council.

“A majority of properties, 70% or greater, within the identified priority surveillance localities listed above will be inspected to confirm the presence and extent of invasive biosecurity matter.

“In addition, all properties that are inspected for this purpose will be monitored for compliance.

“Council will make every effort to contact a property owner or occupier to gain their permission to enter the site if it’s necessary to inspect the property.”

Cr McMahon said all property owners had a legal obligation to take reasonable and practical measures to minimise biosecurity risk.

He said Council’s Biosecurity Plan defined Council’s critical function in administering the Biosecurity Act 2014 at a local government level.

“The Plan also aims to embrace a scalable approach to biosecurity management that can equally apply from the paddock and property through to locality, regional, state or national scale,” Cr McMahon said.

“The Plan seeks to raise public awareness of invasive plants and animals to increase the capacity and willingness of individuals to manage invasive species and participate in their control.

“Voluntary compliance is the desired outcome. The Plan uses plain language to give a clear blueprint of steps involved in complying with the Act, and the expectations of all stakeholders involved in biosecurity.

“Council’s vision is for the Biosecurity Plan to foster a community that is intolerant of invasive plants and animals.

“Neither Council nor individual landholders would ever be likely to have sufficient resources to do everything. The Plan works on a risk management basis to enable the most effective biosecurity management with available resources.”

For more information, please visit www.tr.qld.gov.au/pestmanagementplan 

Landholders can contact TRC’s Biosecurity Compliance team on 131 872 or visit www.daf.qld.gov.au for more information.

Click map to enlarge: