Community Field Days

Cactus Warrior volunteers at work.

For many years, the Tarrangower Cactus Control Group held regular field days from May to October, showcasing the most effective methods for eradicating Wheel Cactus plants to local property owners and enthusiastic volunteers. As a result, we now have many dedicated “lone warriors” who incorporate expert Wheel Cactus injecting into their regular walks. TCCG’s current focus is on providing targeted advice, equipment loans, hands-on assistance and to raise awareness and control the spread of Wheel Cactus, particularly for new landholders in the region. We encourage anyone seeking help in managing Wheel Cactus, or those interested in joining the effort to protect our beautiful countryside, to contact us through this website.

Maldon Easter Parade

The Maldon Easter Fair is held each year and on Easter Monday, the township of Maldon has a grand procession along its main streets. The Tarrangower Cactus Control Group often takes this opportunity to promote our existence, increase awareness of the local Wheel Cactus problem and, hopefully, inspire more people to join our group and help us to eradicate the weed.

In the 2012 parade we enacted a demonstration against Wheel Cactus, waving many witty placards denouncing the existence of the weed and showing what a varied range of people from the community is opposed to this noxious weed.

Invitation to join TCCG

Protesting against the Wheel Cactus invasion.

In the 2013 parade we were dressed in ‘warrior’ uniform and marched as a united army against the ‘opposition’ weed.

For the Easter Parade in April 2014, we joined with other local Landcare groups to highlight the negative effects that feral pests, both plant and animal, have on our environment. We were rewarded for our excellent ‘float’ with First prize for ‘Best Community Entry’.

For the Easter street parade in 2015, the cactus warrior volunteers dressed up as wheel cactus plants. They looked so good they won 1st prize for the ‘Best Community Group’ entry, again.

Easter 2016 saw the Tarrangower Cactus Control Group celebrating its 10th birthday. Cactus Warriors paraded in party costume with their parade-sized birthday cake. They won a well-deserved First Prize for the ‘Best Community Entry’, again!

For the Maldon Easter Parade in 2017, the Cactus Warriors changed their uniform to become Mexicans, to highlight the fact that Wheel Cactus belongs back in Mexico and is not welcome here in Australia.

In the 2018 Easter Parade, we collaborated with the students at the Maldon Primary School and made a giant black crow (Australian Raven) to let everyone know that this is the main culprit for spreading the Wheel Cactus seeds. And again, we won the ‘Best Community Entry’ prize!!

Black crows spread Wheel Cactus seeds.

In 2021 the theme adopted for the Maldon Easter Parade was the “Fruit Fly” with the aim of drawing attention to the fact that Wheel Cactus attracts fruit fly to its purple fruit when it lies rotting on the ground. It is yet another reason why we need to  eradicate Wheel Cactus especially given our proximity to Harcourt and its apple orchards.

Student Groups

Monash University Biological Society

Monash University Environment Club volunteers

Each year during the July semester break, a group of Monash University students make a field trip to Maldon to help with the battle against Wheel Cactus.  Members of the Monash University Biological Society have been assisting the Tarrangower Cactus Control Group since 2010. Approximately 15 students spend 3 day destroying Wheel Cactus around the Maldon Historic Reserve and the Nuggetty Hills and make a great contribution to controlling this noxious weed.
For the past few years the students field trips have been funded by Landcare grants from the North Central Catchment Management Authority.

Monash Uni students injecting (2016)


Monash Student Field Trip July 2018

Maldon & Baringhup Agricultural Show

The annual Maldon and Baringhup Agricultural Show is held in October at the Maldon Show Grounds. This provides the opportunity to increase public awareness of the extent of the Wheel cactus problem in our local area. We hold an information stall with information brochures about the weed, demonstrations and examples of the most effective killing tools and members explain how our group can help property owners to eradicate the weed from their land.

Cactus Warrior Bubbles helped inform the community at the 2015 stall, with her very own bucket and digging hoe.


Cactus Warriors Ian Grenda and Sue Davidson at the Maldon and Baringhup Show stall 2015


Advising a property owner at the 2014 show stall.

website_Maldon Baringhup show

Cactus Warrior Steve handing out free equipment at our information stall, Maldon & Baringhup Ag Show 2012.


Cactus Warriors looking very smart in their new t-shirts.