There are only two small areas that are seriously weed infested. Both are beside a drainage channel that crosses our property from neighboring farm land. Our strategy is to attempt to create shady conditions that do not suit the exotic weeds. We have attacked the northern weedy area with spray and pulling during last summer.

We collected seeds from seven shrubs and trees that will create dense shade when they grow. Clockwise from top left: Acacia melanoxylon, Eucalyptus amygdalina, Eucalyptus ovata, Diplarrena moraea, Leptospermum scoparium var. scoparium, and Melaleuca squarrosa. (Not shown Leptospermum lanigerum.)

We have created trial plots in the weedy area, and a parallel germination trial in pots (old milk cartons). We want to know how much of our wild collected seed is viable, and whether direct seeding will produce the habitat we want. Direct seeding is probably the least labour intensive method, although site preparation requires more care. We do not want to bring in plants from elsewhere.

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By July, the results were not as encouraging as hoped. One of the pots in a plot had been overturned by an animal, 6 swamp quail were seen in the plots probably foraging for seed and pademelons ate the blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) seedlings in the germination trial at home. Visible in the picture is a healthy germination of hairy birdsfoot-trefoil (Lotus suaveolens), dock (Rumex conglomeratus) and several blackwoods. We also have a few Eucalyptus sp. (gum trees) germinating in other pots. There are a few blackwoods growing in the direct seeding trial, plus plenty of weeds that we are disturbing. It remains to be seen whether the results will be more encouraging in the spring.