![Fireweed is a growing concern for Lockyer Valley land owners, council and pasture managers. Picture Qld government Fireweed is a growing concern for Lockyer Valley land owners, council and pasture managers. Picture Qld government](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/139894683/1da10b3a-be9c-496a-9192-e60e897840a1.jpg/r0_0_1000_1052_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
An explosion of toxic fireweed in the Lockyer Valley has raised concern among land owners, council and pasture managers.
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A dry summer followed by autumn rains has led to heavy infestations of the herb, which can spread quickly and is toxic to livestock.
A growing concern in Queensland and NSW, it was added to the list of weeds of national significance in 2012.
Three years later, Loretta Matthews noticed the plant on her Hatton Vale property for the first time.
"The first year that I noticed it, we didn't have that much and keeping on top of it had been possible, but it has spread," Ms Matthews said.
"I've gone from doing 40 acres of the place to now having to pretty much check the whole lot (110 acres)."
Ms Matthews, who has horses and cattle, spends an average of one hour each day removing it in peak season but is considering spraying it with herbicide for the first time this year due to its impact.
She's primarily concerned about the weed's effect on her property value and productivity and the health of her livestock.
"My main concern is that our property value is going to drop massively, along with the value of the land in general," she said.
"This place has had only five owners in about 130 years. I don't want to be the one that turns valuable grazing land into a wasteland where nothing can live and survive and be a menace to my neighbours."
While most are doing their bit to manage the herb, Ms Matthews says some are remaining "ignorant".
"We're surrounded by farms, and most of the farmers are well aware of it and control it ... but there's definitely farms here that are doing nothing," she said.
"A lot of people out here don't even know what it is.
"There are properties right on the [Warrego] highway that we drive past all the time and every year the paddock just gets more and more yellow.
"There's so many others that just don't have the time or inclination to deal with it."
After eight years of battling the noxious plant, Ms Matthews believes it is here to stay.
"We've acknowledged that we're never going to get on top of it. [We're] never going to have a 'no fireweed' season," she said.
"We know that between June and October, we're going to be out pulling out fireweed every year - there's no getting around it.
"It's a fact of having property, and we just hope that each year maybe it won't be quite as bad as it has been.
"I think the bottom line is just education. I don't think there's enough targeted education."
'Overwhelming' number of requests for assistance
Lockyer Valley environment portfolio councillor Michael Hagan said council officers had observed multiple infestations of the invasive weed on local properties recently.
"Council has been working with residents for some time to stop fireweed establishing in the region, however due to the current wet conditions we are anticipating a busy winter season ahead," Mr Hagan said.
"Our teams are managing an overwhelming number of requests for assistance with the toxic weed and providing treatment plans and assistance as quickly as we can."
Council's pest management officers are available to assist farmers with advice, identification and control of invasive plants, and its herbicide subsidy scheme can help reduce the cost of control.
'It's not a great situation'
Kylie Grant from 2K Pasture Management and Consulting said fireweed was currently public enemy number one in the Lockyer.
"At this time of year, it's certainly the biggest concern," Ms Grant said.
"It's not a great situation at the moment. It's pretty widespread throughout the Lockyer Valley.
"Right now it's starting to flower, so people will tend to notice it a little bit more, whereas, to control it, you want to be starting prior to it flowering."
Ms Grant said herbicides were one of the most effective controls for larger infestations, but for people with small infestations, manual control through pulling it out wearing gloves and bagging and burning did work.
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