Councils waiting to hear how tree pest will be managed
The government announced last week it would be moving to a management strategy to control PSHB as it was 'no longer technically feasible' to eradicate the pest.
The tiny beetle, which burrows into trees and infects them, was first detected in 2021 and since then has infected around 4800 trees in the metropolitan area.
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Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development deputy director general Mia Carbon said the National Management Group had determined eradication could no longer be achieved due to a number of factors. GEN Press conference update on the bio-security response to an invasive beetle pest (Polyphagous shot-hole borer) at Hyde Park. Mia Carbon of DPIRB and minister John Carey. Credit: Iain Gillespie / The West Australian
'Determining factors included the difficulty in detecting and controlling new borer infestations at an early stage before the pest can reproduce, and the current lack of effective chemical treatments available for killing the borer,' Dr Carbon said.
'Ongoing eradication efforts would require the removal of a significant number of trees from Perth's urban canopy and, given the biology and behaviour of the pest in the WA environment, are unlikely to be successful long term.'
Town of Victoria Park mayor Karen Vernon said the town was disheartened by the news the government had given up pursuing eradication of PSHB and was not informed of the plan to transition to the management phase prior to the announcement.
'However, throughout this crisis we have maintained that the response should be evidence-based and led by experts, whilst actively and transparently engaging community stakeholders, including local government,' she said.
'The town has a 20 per cent canopy target in line with its Urban Forest Strategy and is diligently pursuing this goal in the face of coinciding challenges, including a drying climate, hotter summers and continued loss of canopy.
'Adding the continued presence of PSHB to this mix poses yet another serious threat to our urban canopy and ecology.
'The decision to move from eradication to management raises significant concern over the funding and resources required by the town to take on this additional responsibility whilst also achieving our own greening targets.' Victoria Park Mayor Karen Vernon said Credit: supplied / RegionalHUB
Ms Vernon said the town was 'eagerly waiting' more details on the transition plan.
'It's disappointing that over a week after DPIRD announced the transition, DPIRD staff are not ready to engage with and mobilise the community in the next stage of the response,' she said.
The town had to remove three green fig trees and prune another at Read Park on Albany Highway thanks to the invasive pest.
Ms Vernon also said the DPIRD had cancelled its attendance at the town's upcoming community planting event, saying that they need more time to be ready to 'field community questions on the new direction'.
The City of Vincent recently had to remove at least 300 trees affected by the borer from Hyde Park. Works at Hyde Park to remove trees infested with the polyphagous shot-hole borer. Credit: Kelsey Reid / The West Australian
Mayor Alison Xamon said the city would like to work with the State Government in developing the new management strategy.
'Losing trees is a last resort and we need to ensure that we keep as many trees as possible,' she said.
'We will continue to work with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the State Government to ensure our polyphagous shot-hole borer-infested trees in our parks are managed appropriately and treated where appropriate.
'We encourage the State and Federal governments to provide extra funding for local governments to effectively manage the borer and replant lost trees in response to this national biosecurity crisis.'
A City of Perth spokesperson told PerthNow the city was waiting on advice from the DPIRD about how the proposed management phase will be implemented.
In May last year the city committed more than $1 million to fight the pest, with parks currently under treatment including the Supreme Court Gardens, Council House Gardens, Stirling Gardens, Totterdell Park and John Oldham Park.
'In the meantime, we'll continue to action our tree-first approach which prioritises tree preservation through early intervention to minimise the impact of PSHB and protect our urban forest,' the spokesperson said.
'As a result of our proactive approach to date, less than 40 city trees have been removed due to PSHB since the outbreak began in November 2022.'
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The Advertiser
6 days ago
- The Advertiser
Jaw-dropping video of shark snacking at Lake Macquarie emerges as anglers suspect numbers surge
JAW-DROPPING footage of a hammerhead shark biting bait clean off a line has emerged as anglers suspect numbers have surged at Lake Macquarie. The footage, captured and shared by Hunter Shark Jaw Restoration, shows the hammerhead circling the bait before taking a bite and dragging it down to the murky depths of the lake. NSW Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW recreational fishing safety officer Malcolm Poole said he believed shark numbers had grown in the lake, which was a known nursery for young hammerheads. He not only thinks that the number of sharks is growing, but so is 'shark depredation' or 'shark bite-offs', where a shark eats or damages a fish that has been caught before it can be landed. The phenomenon, which Mr Poole says the fishing fraternity refers to as the "grey-suited tax man", impacts both recreational and commercial fishers. "Who wouldn't want a free feed?" he said. "The grey-suited tax man is certainly getting his fair share out there." Mr Poole said he suspected shark numbers had grown as a result of the lake becoming a net-free area and artificial warming due to power stations at its southern end. "Today, Lake Macquarie is known to be a nursery for young hammerheads," he said. "It's always been known for many, many years, and being the biggest lake in the southern hemisphere, there's bound to be a number of other secrets it holds too." The NSW Shark Management Program does not monitor sharks in Lake Macquarie as shark mitigation in harbours, rivers and estuaries is the responsibility of the landowner, for example, councils, private entities and property owners. A Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokeswoman said there was no scientific evidence to suggest an increase in shark numbers in the area. "The SharkSmart app has recently reported catches of white sharks along ocean beaches within the Lake Macquarie LGA and in other parts of the NSW coast, consistent with the annual movement patterns for white sharks on our coast, as demonstrated by the tagging program," she said. "Lake Macquarie is a coastal saltwater lagoon and, as such, many sharks may be present in these waters, including white, bull and tiger sharks, which are the three sharks that are most frequently involved in serious shark bites in NSW and are the focus of the NSW government's tagging and tracking and shark mitigation programs. "Other species may include hammerheads, wobbegongs, Port Jacksons, small whalers and grey nurse sharks." Mr Poole said anecdotally, shark sightings have increased over the years, particularly in shallow waters, and the occasional great white shark will mosey down the Swansea Channel. "They're following food webs, such as the Australian salmon that come in from the ocean into the lake," he said. Mr Poole said hammerheads were generally foraging fish, and there were rules and regulations around the size, number and types of sharks anglers were allowed to catch. "There are some dedicated shark fishers out there, not so much in the estuary systems," he said. "We do find some young teenagers test their testosterone out on sharks, heading down to the local public wharf and throwing a 150-pound string and half a mullet to try to pick up a shark and land it. "Sharks are one of those interesting animals that are very powerful, and if you can stay on the wharf, then good luck. "My suggestions to those young kids is grab a seat belt or a piece of rope to tie yourself down if you want to try to tackle a shark in Lake Macquarie, and be prepared to hang it out there for several hours while you play tug of war between the shark and the angler." JAW-DROPPING footage of a hammerhead shark biting bait clean off a line has emerged as anglers suspect numbers have surged at Lake Macquarie. The footage, captured and shared by Hunter Shark Jaw Restoration, shows the hammerhead circling the bait before taking a bite and dragging it down to the murky depths of the lake. NSW Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW recreational fishing safety officer Malcolm Poole said he believed shark numbers had grown in the lake, which was a known nursery for young hammerheads. He not only thinks that the number of sharks is growing, but so is 'shark depredation' or 'shark bite-offs', where a shark eats or damages a fish that has been caught before it can be landed. The phenomenon, which Mr Poole says the fishing fraternity refers to as the "grey-suited tax man", impacts both recreational and commercial fishers. "Who wouldn't want a free feed?" he said. "The grey-suited tax man is certainly getting his fair share out there." Mr Poole said he suspected shark numbers had grown as a result of the lake becoming a net-free area and artificial warming due to power stations at its southern end. "Today, Lake Macquarie is known to be a nursery for young hammerheads," he said. "It's always been known for many, many years, and being the biggest lake in the southern hemisphere, there's bound to be a number of other secrets it holds too." The NSW Shark Management Program does not monitor sharks in Lake Macquarie as shark mitigation in harbours, rivers and estuaries is the responsibility of the landowner, for example, councils, private entities and property owners. A Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokeswoman said there was no scientific evidence to suggest an increase in shark numbers in the area. "The SharkSmart app has recently reported catches of white sharks along ocean beaches within the Lake Macquarie LGA and in other parts of the NSW coast, consistent with the annual movement patterns for white sharks on our coast, as demonstrated by the tagging program," she said. "Lake Macquarie is a coastal saltwater lagoon and, as such, many sharks may be present in these waters, including white, bull and tiger sharks, which are the three sharks that are most frequently involved in serious shark bites in NSW and are the focus of the NSW government's tagging and tracking and shark mitigation programs. "Other species may include hammerheads, wobbegongs, Port Jacksons, small whalers and grey nurse sharks." Mr Poole said anecdotally, shark sightings have increased over the years, particularly in shallow waters, and the occasional great white shark will mosey down the Swansea Channel. "They're following food webs, such as the Australian salmon that come in from the ocean into the lake," he said. Mr Poole said hammerheads were generally foraging fish, and there were rules and regulations around the size, number and types of sharks anglers were allowed to catch. "There are some dedicated shark fishers out there, not so much in the estuary systems," he said. "We do find some young teenagers test their testosterone out on sharks, heading down to the local public wharf and throwing a 150-pound string and half a mullet to try to pick up a shark and land it. "Sharks are one of those interesting animals that are very powerful, and if you can stay on the wharf, then good luck. "My suggestions to those young kids is grab a seat belt or a piece of rope to tie yourself down if you want to try to tackle a shark in Lake Macquarie, and be prepared to hang it out there for several hours while you play tug of war between the shark and the angler." JAW-DROPPING footage of a hammerhead shark biting bait clean off a line has emerged as anglers suspect numbers have surged at Lake Macquarie. The footage, captured and shared by Hunter Shark Jaw Restoration, shows the hammerhead circling the bait before taking a bite and dragging it down to the murky depths of the lake. NSW Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW recreational fishing safety officer Malcolm Poole said he believed shark numbers had grown in the lake, which was a known nursery for young hammerheads. He not only thinks that the number of sharks is growing, but so is 'shark depredation' or 'shark bite-offs', where a shark eats or damages a fish that has been caught before it can be landed. The phenomenon, which Mr Poole says the fishing fraternity refers to as the "grey-suited tax man", impacts both recreational and commercial fishers. "Who wouldn't want a free feed?" he said. "The grey-suited tax man is certainly getting his fair share out there." Mr Poole said he suspected shark numbers had grown as a result of the lake becoming a net-free area and artificial warming due to power stations at its southern end. "Today, Lake Macquarie is known to be a nursery for young hammerheads," he said. "It's always been known for many, many years, and being the biggest lake in the southern hemisphere, there's bound to be a number of other secrets it holds too." The NSW Shark Management Program does not monitor sharks in Lake Macquarie as shark mitigation in harbours, rivers and estuaries is the responsibility of the landowner, for example, councils, private entities and property owners. A Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokeswoman said there was no scientific evidence to suggest an increase in shark numbers in the area. "The SharkSmart app has recently reported catches of white sharks along ocean beaches within the Lake Macquarie LGA and in other parts of the NSW coast, consistent with the annual movement patterns for white sharks on our coast, as demonstrated by the tagging program," she said. "Lake Macquarie is a coastal saltwater lagoon and, as such, many sharks may be present in these waters, including white, bull and tiger sharks, which are the three sharks that are most frequently involved in serious shark bites in NSW and are the focus of the NSW government's tagging and tracking and shark mitigation programs. "Other species may include hammerheads, wobbegongs, Port Jacksons, small whalers and grey nurse sharks." Mr Poole said anecdotally, shark sightings have increased over the years, particularly in shallow waters, and the occasional great white shark will mosey down the Swansea Channel. "They're following food webs, such as the Australian salmon that come in from the ocean into the lake," he said. Mr Poole said hammerheads were generally foraging fish, and there were rules and regulations around the size, number and types of sharks anglers were allowed to catch. "There are some dedicated shark fishers out there, not so much in the estuary systems," he said. "We do find some young teenagers test their testosterone out on sharks, heading down to the local public wharf and throwing a 150-pound string and half a mullet to try to pick up a shark and land it. "Sharks are one of those interesting animals that are very powerful, and if you can stay on the wharf, then good luck. "My suggestions to those young kids is grab a seat belt or a piece of rope to tie yourself down if you want to try to tackle a shark in Lake Macquarie, and be prepared to hang it out there for several hours while you play tug of war between the shark and the angler." JAW-DROPPING footage of a hammerhead shark biting bait clean off a line has emerged as anglers suspect numbers have surged at Lake Macquarie. The footage, captured and shared by Hunter Shark Jaw Restoration, shows the hammerhead circling the bait before taking a bite and dragging it down to the murky depths of the lake. NSW Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW recreational fishing safety officer Malcolm Poole said he believed shark numbers had grown in the lake, which was a known nursery for young hammerheads. He not only thinks that the number of sharks is growing, but so is 'shark depredation' or 'shark bite-offs', where a shark eats or damages a fish that has been caught before it can be landed. The phenomenon, which Mr Poole says the fishing fraternity refers to as the "grey-suited tax man", impacts both recreational and commercial fishers. "Who wouldn't want a free feed?" he said. "The grey-suited tax man is certainly getting his fair share out there." Mr Poole said he suspected shark numbers had grown as a result of the lake becoming a net-free area and artificial warming due to power stations at its southern end. "Today, Lake Macquarie is known to be a nursery for young hammerheads," he said. "It's always been known for many, many years, and being the biggest lake in the southern hemisphere, there's bound to be a number of other secrets it holds too." The NSW Shark Management Program does not monitor sharks in Lake Macquarie as shark mitigation in harbours, rivers and estuaries is the responsibility of the landowner, for example, councils, private entities and property owners. A Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokeswoman said there was no scientific evidence to suggest an increase in shark numbers in the area. "The SharkSmart app has recently reported catches of white sharks along ocean beaches within the Lake Macquarie LGA and in other parts of the NSW coast, consistent with the annual movement patterns for white sharks on our coast, as demonstrated by the tagging program," she said. "Lake Macquarie is a coastal saltwater lagoon and, as such, many sharks may be present in these waters, including white, bull and tiger sharks, which are the three sharks that are most frequently involved in serious shark bites in NSW and are the focus of the NSW government's tagging and tracking and shark mitigation programs. "Other species may include hammerheads, wobbegongs, Port Jacksons, small whalers and grey nurse sharks." Mr Poole said anecdotally, shark sightings have increased over the years, particularly in shallow waters, and the occasional great white shark will mosey down the Swansea Channel. "They're following food webs, such as the Australian salmon that come in from the ocean into the lake," he said. Mr Poole said hammerheads were generally foraging fish, and there were rules and regulations around the size, number and types of sharks anglers were allowed to catch. "There are some dedicated shark fishers out there, not so much in the estuary systems," he said. "We do find some young teenagers test their testosterone out on sharks, heading down to the local public wharf and throwing a 150-pound string and half a mullet to try to pick up a shark and land it. "Sharks are one of those interesting animals that are very powerful, and if you can stay on the wharf, then good luck. "My suggestions to those young kids is grab a seat belt or a piece of rope to tie yourself down if you want to try to tackle a shark in Lake Macquarie, and be prepared to hang it out there for several hours while you play tug of war between the shark and the angler."
Perth Now
06-08-2025
- Perth Now
North Perth locals left in the dark over ‘trashed' Hyde Park
North Perth residents have been left wondering what the future holds for Hyde Park after trees were removed to stop the spread of the polyphagous shot-hole borer. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development removed mature trees from the park's islands after PSHB was detected. The project is now complete but some North Perth residents feel left in the dark about future restoration plans, saying on social media they don't feel as if they have enough information. A post by Eva Pellegrini described the park as 'trashed' but no one was talking about it. 'The island habitat is destroyed, water levels have surged, footpaths are flooding, and bags of woodchips are left behind,' the post said. The Hyde Park tree restoration program has already started. Credit: City of Vincent 'DPRID quietly announced it was abandoning eradication altogether. 'Yet the work continued without pause, updated advice, or environmental reassessment.' According to the City of Vincent's website, more trees were able to be retained than originally thought which put it in a better position to re-establish canopy more quickly. Bags filled with soil were ready to be spread across the islands as part of the city's four-year restoration project. The project will include 4000 new plants in the first year alone. The priority is to prepare the area to prevent erosion and ensure the two islands are in the best condition for healthy plant growth. The city said is confident its restoration program will see the islands flourish again. Vincent mayor Alison Xamon said protecting tree canopy continued to be their highest priority. 'We have developed a four-year plan in partnership with industry experts to restore the Hyde Park islands and we are confident they will thrive with as much, if not more, greenery than before,' she said. 'Extra care is being taken to protect birds and wildlife during and after the restoration works,' 'The city is dedicated to being open and transparent with the community and has been sharing details of the Hyde Park restoration project via our website and through social media at every stage.' The community can stay up-to-date with the progress of the project by visiting the city website or using the QR code on signage located at Hyde Park.
West Australian
30-07-2025
- West Australian
WA's first feral deer cull under way in Harvey area to tackle state's increasing pest population
WA's first deer cull is under way to manage the State's feral deer population before it spirals out of control. Operations near Esperance are complete and culling near Harvey will begin this week. The cull is expected to end in late August, with analysis to determine the effectiveness of controlling the feral deer population through aerial culls. A Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokeswoman said the culling program was on track. 'The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is conducting localised aerial control for feral deer in the Esperance and Harvey areas,' she said. 'Operations are on schedule, with aerial control near Esperance now complete and control operations set to begin in the Harvey area this week.' A two-year survey of feral deer populations covered 660sqkm near Esperance, 440sqkm near Harvey, and 41spkm near Muchea in 2023 and 2024. More than 1500 feral deer were identified in the three targeted areas — with about 660 feral deer found near Esperance, about 700 near Harvey, and about 170 near Muchea. A spokeswoman for WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis previously told the Countryman the State was in a 'unique' position to control feral deer populations while they were still 'relatively small and localised'. A declared pest, feral deer damage the environment and the agriculture industry by grazing on native plants, competing with native animals for food and habitat resources, impacting water quality and soil properties, and damaging pasture, commercial crops and orchards. Additionally, they act as carriers for pathogens and diseases, and can transmit exotic livestock diseases to sheep, goats, and cattle. Australia is home to more than 1.5 million feral deer, the population exploding from about 80,000 in 1980. Landholders who see feral deer on their property can report sightings using the FeralScan App or online at .
