Weeds Action Program
The objective of the Weeds Action Program is to deliver funding to Local Control Authorities for weeds to enable them to undertake activities that:
- prevent the establishment of new State and regional priority weeds
- eliminate or prevent the spread of State and regional priority weeds, and
- ensure NSW has the ability and commitment to manage State and regional priority weeds.
It aligns with the NSW Biosecurity Action Plan.
The Weeds Action Program implements:
- strategies of the NSW Invasive Species Plan 2023-2028
- activities that align to the NSW State Weed Strategic Plans
- prevention, eradication and containment priorities described in the Regional Strategic Weed Management Plans and or support the NSW Capacity Building and Engagement Priorities.
State weed strategic plans and regional weed strategic management plans are supported through this program.
Grant Programs
Available to Local Control Authorities for weeds to help fund projects aimed at reducing the risk of weeds in NSW.
The NSW Weeds Action Program 2020-2025 overview
Net benefits in the billions
- Investment in strategic weed management of parthenium weed, tropical soda apple, and Hudson pear is estimated to deliver net present values of about $260M–$5.5B over 20 years, with benefit–cost ratios of 59:1–777:1.
- This investment prevents major grazing and cropping losses, long‑term environmental damage and health impacts.
Strategic surveillance for early intervention
- 31 weeds targeted for exclusion; 98 targeted for eradication in all or parts of NSW.
- Targeted surveillance programs focus on high-risk species, pathways and sites, guided by state and regional plans.
- Inspections detected weeds early with over 90,000 inspections at high-risk sites and more than 1,000,000 km of high-risk pathways inspected.
- Tenure neutral inspections - private land 68% and public land 32%.
- Over 90,000 targeted control actions were undertaken to eradicate, contain, or reduce high‑risk weeds.
Building a skilled, connected, and emergency‑ready weed biosecurity workforce
- More than 22,000 activities built a skilled, connected and emergency‑ready weed biosecurity workforce, through training, conferences, workshops, and participation in Regional Weed Committees and State Priority Weed Taskforces.
- DPIRD delivered targeted training to 972 attendees to strengthen capability and support compliance.
- More than 2,000 targeted resources – website updates, digital tools, flyers, posters and social media – were produced to build awareness and support informed decisions.
- Around 126,000 weed biosecurity resources – such as flyers, handbooks and other educational / training materials – were distributed across the state, amplifying this awareness.
- 4.85M NSW WeedWise page views, helping landholders, councils and community recognise and manage priority weeds.
- "Seen it? Call us" flyers prompt the public to report suspect weeds, boosting community surveillance beyond formal inspection.
Who finds Prohibited Matter?
55% of the state's highest‑priority weed detections are made by trained biosecurity officers, with the remainder reported by engaged landholders and community.
