What TCCG has Done since 2005
Trialing Methods of Killing Wheel Cactus Plants
Late 1990’s-Early 2000’s: Barry McKnight – Injection gun and screwdriver
Barry McKnight, a landholder in The Nuggetty area, tried an injection technique already being used in areas of South Australia on Wheel Cactus infestations. He gave a demonstration of this injection method using a gun and screwdriver, to other interested local farmers and Landcare enthusiasts.
2000-2004: Ian Grenda
Ian Grenda, also a landholder in The Nuggetty area, trialled several new ways to kill Wheel Cactus because the gun and screwdriver technique was slow and tedious. He tried shooting holes in the lobes, shattering the lobes with a shovel and releasing the insect Cactoblastus as a biological control agent. However, none were successful.
2004: Bendigo Regional Institute of TAFE Diploma in Conservation and Land Management
Jenny Baig and Brett Tyler, students in the Diploma of Conservation and Land Management, performed a trial to test the efficacy of surface spray of the herbicide glyphosate onto Wheel Cactus plants. They concluded that spraying with 2% glyphosate and 0.2% Pulse (a wetting agent) had an effect on the development of the plant but regrowth did occur and the plants did not die. Click here to read their Project Report.
2005 and 2006: Ian Grenda – Spraying with Glyphosate
Ian Grenda had some success spraying Wheel Cactus with a mix of 2% glyphosate and 2% Pulse in overcast weather conditions, but still there was regrowth of the plants requiring further follow up control treatments. Ian found that the most effective and permanent killing of the plants resulted from direct injection of the herbicide glyphosate into all outer lobes using an Injection Kit comprising of a drenching gun and extra long spear.
Education and Public Awareness
Media
TCCG publish regular articles in local newspapers to educate and reinforce to the community the enormity of the Wheel Cactus problem in their local landscapes. Articles and photos are published in Landcare and environmental magazines about the groups activities and interviews are also conducted on local radio programs.
Brochures and Mail Outs
Various information brochures have been produced and printed to distribute within the community, to advise best-practice techniques and to promote TCCG’s demonstrations and field days. These are distributed via local public venues and businesses, at local community events and also posted to property owners within the local Shire areas that are most affected by Wheel Cactus infestations.
Workshop and Field Trip
In May 2015, the TCCG committee planned and held a half day workshop in the Baringhup hall and a field trip to a nearby property, to help increase awareness of the threat of Wheel Cactus infestations to neighbouring Shires and other land managers, highlighting the problems associated with Wheel Cactus infestations to native flora and fauna in public lands, the impact on domestic livestock and crops and the negative economic impact on private properties. Refer to Workshop Invitation.
Demonstrations and Advice for Landholders
Volunteers of TCCG have provided advice and demonstrations to property owners in their own time outside of the regular community field days.
Equipment Loans as Incentives
Injector backpacks and probes, digging tools and buckets are all available for loan by land holders to encourage them to control the Wheel Cactus infestations on their own properties.
Control Techniques
Over many years, TCCG have investigated the best techniques to kill Wheel Cactus plants permanently, and developed an efficient injecting tool to deliver herbicide directly into the lobes. They have also sourced the most effective digging hoe for manually removing smaller plants.
Community Events
TCCG volunteers participate in regular local, community events such as the annual Maldon Easter Parade, Maldon Market and Maldon and Baringhup Agricultural Show, to help raise awareness about the threat of Wheel Cactus and the groups existence.
Custom-Designed Trailer
Members of TCCG designed and raised funds to acquire a trailer built specifically to store and transfer all the injecting and digging equipment required at their community field days, plus the very important BBQ and gas bottle.
T-Shirts, Coffee Mugs, Bumper Stickers and Pens
To help raise awareness of our “Wheel Cactus War” the group has designed and printed t-shirts with a striking image, hand painted coffee mugs with an appropriately sad looking Wheel Cactus plant, and a logo was designed and used to print bumpers stickers and pens, all to distribute to our volunteers and within the local community.
Networking with Similar Groups
Committee members have attended demonstration days, meetings, forums and conferences held by similar groups to exchange information and share knowledge, concerns and achievements. These groups include the Wychitella Landcare group in north central Victoria and the Blinman-Parachilna group in central South Australia. Contact is also maintained with the National Invasive Cacti Network, Connecting Country and government departments such as Parks Victoria, the North Central Catchment Management Authority and the Department of Primary Industry and Regions South Australia (PIRSA).
TCCG committee members also attend and present papers at conferences held by groups such as the Victorian and Australasian Weed Societies and Australian Landcare.
Farm Fence Signs
As part of the TCCG Victorian state-wide Mapping Project, members designed a sign to distribute to local landowners to hang on their fence in a prominent location, to help remind the local community to destroy Wheel Cactus plants.
Hosting Volunteer Groups from other Regions
Since 2010, TCCG has hosted several field trips each year for several different organisations, and have greatly appreciated the valued help from these different community groups: Ballarat Special School, Lalor High School, Roxburgh Park College, Monash University Biological Society, LaTrobe University Bendigo, TAFE Bendigo, Mobile Landcare Group, IBM corporate volunteers, Castlemaine Venturer Scouts.
Funding and Support
Members of our committee identify and apply for suitable grants from local, state and federal sources. A list of and links to our major sponsors can be found below. We also alert local property owners to funding grants so they can seek support for their individual eradication programs.
Community Field Days
TCCG area of focus is bounded by Cairn Curran Reservoir (Baringhup) on the west, Trudgeons Road (Welshmans Reef) on the south, Maldon-Lockwood Road (Nuggetty) and Maldon-Newstead Road on the east and Bradford Road (Shelbourne) on the north. In years gone by we held community field days on each of the cooler months where we demonstrated killing techniques to property owners and also welcome any volunteers willing to learn to kill and help eradicate Wheel Cactus from our environment. Now our field days are run in conjunction with Parks Victoria to help control Wheel Cactus in the Maldon Historic Reserve. One or two of these field days are run a year.
Since 2009, Community Field Days have been conducted in the following locations:
- Sunday 26th April 2009 N.Z.’s Property, off Waldron’s Lane, Baringhup.
- Sunday 31st May 2009 47 Cook’s Lane, Baringhup.
- Sunday 28th June 2009 Mt. Tarrangower Historic Reserve off Mt. Back Rd.
- Sunday 26th July 2009 B. McK’s property, Nuggetty Rd.
- Sunday 30th August 2009 47 Cooks Lane, Baringhup.
- Sunday 27th September 2009 The Butts Reserve, Mount Tarrangower.
- Sunday 25th October 2009 C. T & S. G’s property off Tarrangower School Rd.
- Sunday 29th November 2009 I. G.’s property, Browns Rd, Nuggetty.
- Sunday 30th May 2010 Roadside Gough’s Range Rd.
- Sunday 27th June 2010 Mount Tarrangower before the summit.
- Sunday 25th July 2010 Corner of South Parkin’s Reef & Tarrangower School Rds.
- Sunday 29th August 2010 C.T. & S.G.’s property off Tarrangower School Rd.
- Sunday 26th September 2010 Corner of Whitlock’s & Back Cairn Curran Rds.
- Sunday 31st October 2010 Mount Back Rd. Historic Reserve
- Sunday 17th April 2011 A.L.’s property, Watersons Rd.
- Sunday 29th May 2011 B. McK’s property, Nuggetty Rd.
- Sunday 26th June 2011 Mount Back Rd, Historic Reserve, Mt. Tarrangower.
- Sunday 31st July 2011 S.W.’s property, End of Cook’s Lane.
- Sunday 28th August 2011 J. McG’s property, Baringhup Rd near intersection Hayes Rd.
- Sunday 25th September 2011 A. D.’s property, off Tarrangower School Rd.
- Sunday 30th October 2011 Historic Reserve, Corner of Watersons & Mount Back Rds.
- Sunday 27th November 2011 N. Z.’s property, Waldrons Lane.
- Sunday 29th April 2012 A.L.’s property, Watersons Rd.
- Sunday 27th May 2012 C. T & S. G’s property, off Tarrangower School Rd.
- Sunday 24th June 2012 Roadside Gough’s Range Rd. near Tarrangower School Rd.
- Sunday 29th July 2012 Corner of Bridgewater Rd. & Sandhills Lane.
- Sunday 26th August 2012 J. McG.’s property, Baringhup Rd.
- Sunday 30th September 2012 L.C.’s property, Corner of Watersons & Treloars Rds.
- Sunday 28th October 2012 The cork tree plantation, Historic Reserve, Mount Back Rd.
- Sunday 25th November 2012 N. Z.’s property, Waldon’s Lane, Baringhup.
- Sunday 28th April 2013 A.L.’s property, Waterson’s Rd.
- Sunday 26th May 2013 R. & D. McP’s property, accessed Cairn Curran Rd.
- Sunday 30th June 2013 284 A.D.’s property, off Tarrangower School Rd.
- Sunday 28th July 2013 Historic Reserve, Back Mount Rd. (off Waterson’s Rd).
- Sunday 25th August 2013 R.B.’s property, Cnr. Greenhill Bridge & Whitlock’s Rds.
- Sunday 29th September 2013 Ro.Bo.’s property, Skinners Lane, Maldon.
- Sunday 27th October 2013 J.McG.’s property, Baringhup Road.
- Sunday 24th November 2013 A.D.’s property, off Tarrangower School Rd.
- Sunday 27th April 2014 A.L.’s property, Watersons Rd.
- Sunday 25th May 2014 Blue Hills, Bradford Road, Baringhup.
- Sunday 29th June 2014 C. T. & S. G. property, off Tarrangower School Rd.
- Sunday 27th July 2014 R. & D. McP.’s property,accessed end of Whitlock’s Road.
- Sunday 31st August 2014 B’s property, Gough’s Range Road.
- Sunday 28th September 2014 S.G.’s property, Cnr. Whitlock’s & Cairn Curran Rds.
- Sunday 26th October 2014 A.D.’s property, off Tarrangower School Rd.
- Sunday 30th November 2014 Roadside, Gough’s Range Road.
- Sunday 26th April 2015 A.L.’s property, Watersons Rd.
- Sunday 31st May 2015 V.T.’s property, Cairn Curran Rd.
- Sunday 28th June 2015 47 Cooks Lane, Baringhup.
- Sunday 26th July 2015 Historic Reserve, Mt. Back Road.
- Sunday 30th August 2015 C. T. & S. G. property, off Tarrangower School Rd.
- Sunday 27th September 2015 R.B.’s property, Cnr. Greenhill Bridge & Whitlock’s Rds.
- Sunday 25th October 2015 J. & D.’s property, Gough’s Range Rd. Welshman’s Reef.
- Sunday 24th April 2016 A.L.’s property, Waterson’s Rd.
- Sunday 29th May 2016 at 703 Waterson’s Rd. (cnr. Cairn Curran Rd.)
- Sunday 26th June 2016 R.&D. McP.’s property, Whitlock’s Rd.
- Sunday 31st July 2016 47 Cooks Lane, Baringhup.
- Sunday 28th August 2016 Historic Reserve, Back Mount Rd.
- Sunday 25th September 2016 F. & P.’s property, Seers Rd. Welshman’s Reef.
- Sunday 30th October 2016 J. & D.’s property, Gough’s Range Rd. Welshman’s Reef
- Sunday 30th April 2017 A.L.’s property, Waterson’s Road.
- Sunday 28th May 2017 47 Cooks Lane, Baringhup.
- Sunday 25th June 2017 Old Nuggetty School site – various properties.
- Sunday 30th July 2017 K.J.’s Olive Farm, Greenhill Bridge Rd.
- Sunday 27th August 2017 property Tarrangower School Rd. (near Skinner’s Lane)
- Sunday 24th September 2017 J. M.’s property, Greenhill Bridge Rd.
- Sunday 29th October 2017 A.D.’s property, Old Tarrangower School Rd.
- Sunday 27th May 2018, J.McG.’s property, Baringhup Rd.
- Sunday 24th June 2018, Old Shelbourne Railway Reserve, Lakey’s Rd. Shelbourne.
- Sunday 29th July 2018, 47 Cook’s Lane, Baringhup.
- Sunday 26th August 2018, Historic Reserve, Back Mount Rd. Maldon.
- Sunday 30th September 2018, J-A.&S. R.’s property, Cairn Curran Rd. Baringhup.
- Sunday 28th October 2018, H.H.’s property, Whitlock’s Rd. Baringhup.
- Sunday 28th April 2019, J. McG.’s property, Baringhup Rd.
- Sunday 26th May 2019, J-A.&S. R.’s property, Cairn Curran Rd. Baringhup.
- Sunday 30th June 2019, A,L.’s property, Watersons Rd. Maldon.
- Sunday 28th July 2019, R.&D. McP.’s property, Whitlock’s Rd. Baringhup.
- Sunday 25th August 2019, S.G.’s property, Whitlock’s Rd. Baringhup.
- Sunday 29th September 2019, D.C.’s property, Treloars Rd. Maldon.
- Sunday 27th October 2019, K.’s property, Treloars Rd. Maldon.
- COVID interrupted Field Day Program in 2020
- Sunday 2nd May 2021, S.’s property, 267 Whitlocks Rd. Baringhup.
- Sunday 27th June 2021, Bells Lane. Eastville.
- Sunday 31st October 2021, with Parks Victoria, Mount Back Rd. Tarrangower.
- Sunday 29th May 2022, A.&P.’s property, Watersons Rd. Tarrangower.
- Sunday 26th June 2022, with Monash Uni & Parks. Maldon Historic Reserve.
- Sunday 21st July 2022, LP.’s property, 39 Baringhup Rd. Baringhup.
- Sunday 28th August 2022, Goughs Range State Forest. Welshmans Reef.
- Sunday 23rd October 2022, Cork Plantation, Mount Back Rd. Tarrangower.
- Sunday 25th June 2023, with Monash Uni & Parks, Nth British Mines area.
- Sunday 24th Sept 2023, new owners J.&D., 39 Baringhup Rd. Baringhup.
- Sunday 30th June 2024, with Monash Uni & Parks, Mount Back Rd.
