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ABC News
21-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Invasive plant pathogen myrtle rust detected at National Museum of Australia, sparking concerns for eucalypts
The invasive plant pathogen myrtle rust has been detected near the National Museum of Australia in Canberra, concerning experts. Myrtle rust is a bright yellow-looking fungus that infects plants, like other fungal infections, by penetrating into a plant's living tissue. Originally from South America, the single strain that's made it to Australia can be found on a plant's young leaves, flower buds and young fruits and will in severe cases appear as a yellow sticky powder. It targets the eucalypt family — which includes not just eucalypts but tea trees, lilly pillies and other plants — with sometimes devastating effect. Founder of the Invasive Species Council Tim Low said 16 species of rainforest tree were likely to go extinct without emergency intervention. The pathogen was first reported in the gardens of the National Museum of Australia by a citizen scientist in February. The citizen scientist put the location of the infected plants in the National Museum gardens, off Lawson Crescent and the Tim and Gina Fairfax Discovery Centre. The report was later confirmed by the ACT government's biosecurity and invasive plants team and the NSW Department of Primary Industries, which found two Geraldton wax flower plants were infected. They were removed in April. Mr Low told the ABC the Canberra plant most susceptible to myrtle rust was the prickly tea tree, but called the Geraldton wax flower "highly vulnerable" and noted the pathogen might cause greater damage to garden plants than natives if it were to spread across the ACT. The ACT Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate (EPSDD) said follow-up surveillance on the infection would be conducted again in spring. This infection does not mark the first myrtle rust detection in Canberra. EPSDD says myrtle rust was detected in 2022 at a plant nursery, but the plants were removed and the nursery has remained free of the pathogen since. And according to to the National Myrtle Rust Working Group, the invasive plant pathogen has been detected multiple times at the Australian National Botanic Gardens. But this infection at the National Museum has sparked more concern, with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water updating its webpage on myrtle rust to include the ACT in response. "The Australian National Botanical Garden had several detections of myrtle rust before, but none of them has established," Dr Benjamin Schwessinger, a researcher at the Australian National University studying myrtle rust and other fungi which infect plants in Australia, told the ABC. When asked about the significance of the National Museum myrtle rust detection, Dr Schwessinger said it indicated a possible wider spread. "The National Museum is a well-frequented place … So if it's probably detected there, it's probably not the first real incursion on the only affected tree in the ACT," he said. "It's an airborne pathogen. So, yeah, it gets blown around quite a bit. It can probably travel thousands of kilometres in the air." He said myrtle rust became concerning when it was "established" – meaning the infection was seen year on year in the same area. However, that the National Museum infection was detected out of season is also a concern. "We would normally not expect it. It's more [likely] in springtime," Dr Schwessinger said. Mr Low also noted the risk of myrtle rust spread but added Canberra's weather might help fight back against the pathogen. "It's really good at spreading. It's spreading on the wind, it's spread by honeybees," he said. He said the pathogen could be treated with fungicides but this was often not feasible in a national park or wild area, and advocated for the government to instate tighter biosecurity measures against myrtle rust. "We ... are not confident they are doing everything they can to keep out myrtle rust strains," he said.
Khaleej Times
10-04-2025
- General
- Khaleej Times
Sydney residents on alert for escaped boa constrictor
Whether its pounding surf, man-eating crocodiles, or predatory sharks — Australians are used to keeping their eyes peeled when they're near the water. Now residents of one coastal neighbourhood in Sydney are also being told to watch out for an escaped exotic snake. Officials said on Thursday they had been "alerted to a sighting of a Boa constrictor" slithering around the waterside suburb of Sylvania. "Please do not approach the animal," the Department of Primary Industries for New South Wales (NSW) said in a statement. "If safe to do so, take a photo and contact us so that we can identify and attempt to capture the snake." Video posted to social media showed the girthy critter slowly worming across a waterside footpath next to a beach. Native to Central and South America, boa constrictors are one of the world's largest species of snake. They have an average length of around three metres (10 feet), and are named for the way in which they squeeze the life out of their prey. Many snake lovers covet boa constrictors as exotic pets. "The boa constrictor is not native to Australia and is a high risk of establishing populations in a wide range of environments in NSW and across Australia," according to the NSW Department of Primary Industries. "This snake is bred and kept both legally and illegally for the pet trade around the world."
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Yahoo
Exotic animal on the loose in major city
Residents have been warned to keep their distance after a boa constrictor was spotted on the loose in Sydney. The uninvited slithering guest was filmed under the Tom's Ugly Bridge in Sylvania, Sydney's south on Friday, with footage uploaded to the suburb's local Facebook page. The snake, believed to be a red-tailed boa constrictor, is an exotic animal not native to Australia, and despite not being venomous, they pose a significant risk to the native wildlife. The animals are typically found in Brazil, and it is believed the reptile is an escaped pet. A NSW Department of Primary Industries spokesman said they were aware of the loose reptile. 'The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) was recently alerted to a sighting of a Boa constrictor near the Sylvania Boat Ramp,' thespokesman said per 9News. 'NSW DPIRD is calling on the local community to report any suspected sightings of the animal.' The public have been warned to not approach the snake. 'If safe to do so, take a photo and contact us so that we can identify and attempt to capture the snake.'
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Detail in 600kg find in waters around Aussie national park shows 'massive problem'
More than 600 kilograms of waste was hauled out of an Aussie river in a single day last week, but clean-up efforts seem like a drop in the ocean after big storms hit the east coast. And one group of river users are being accused of consistently contributing to the mounting rates of rubbish. Last week Clean4Shore volunteers climbed aboard the charity's boat and waded through Brisbane Water, a wave dominated estuary on the NSW Central Coast surrounded by national park, to remove waste from the environment. Three damaged fibreglass boats were retrieved as well as hundreds of oyster baskets. Clean4Shore's founder Graham Johnston claims his team constantly pull equipment belonging to the oyster farming industry out of the water after it becomes untethered. "Oysters grow in baskets along these strings and they might put 30 to 40 baskets along them. What happened with the storm was a string broke and these oyster baskets just washed up on the bank. The oysters die and the baskets are just left," he told Yahoo News. "If we don't pull them out of the water, no one does... it's a massive problem." Clean4Shore removes a wide range of litter from the water every year, from furniture to netting to oyster baskets. On average, 60 tonnes of waste is retrieved by the team annually, it says. At least $2,000 worth of oysters would have been lost from the baskets that the team retrieved during last Tuesday's clean-up efforts, Johnston explained. He believes the industry simply mark them down as write-offs and move on. "Farmers aren't showing diligence in getting their baskets back, and it's a consistent problem," he said. "There needs to be more compliance from fisheries to make sure these people are doing the right thing." Yahoo News contacted the NSW Department of Primary Industries on Tuesday but did not receive comment. Pair spotted in alarming act on flooded road as Aussies urged to leave Campers blasted after shocking discovery in popular Aussie river Photos show 'insane' Aussie problem after 2,240kg find in river Local man John Grant told Yahoo News the oyster baskets have been an issue in the area for over three years, and he has even taken it upon himself to retrieve them from the water and stacked them on his property. "They're about a metre one way and 60 centimetres the other way, they're not small," he explained, adding that local wildlife is also being impacted by the debris floating around in the water. "It's where they eat. We've got critically endangered animals here." Oysters are grown in many parts of the country including Western Australia, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia and NSW — with farms in NSW being the largest and most successful. NSW produced over $59 million worth of oysters alone between 2018 and 2019, according to NSW Oysters, with states having different optimal growing conditions for differing species. The Australian oyster industry is now worth $175 million. Not only is the industry growing, but the oysters themselves have been called the "unsung heroes" of our coastal ecosystems as they filter five litres of water every hour from their eating habits. They eat algae, food waste and sewage sludge, turning murky water into clear water. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
