Weed Control

African Olive - Olea europaea cuspidata

This widespread invasive tree from Africa closely resembles several native species, with its narrow leaves and olive-like fruits making it easy to overlook. It is a dense, evergreen shrub or small tree, typically growing 3–10 m tall, often forming thickets in bushland. Leaves are simple, narrow-elliptic to lanceolate, and arranged oppositely along the stem. They are dark green on the upper surface and distinctly pale, silvery-grey underneath. Small, creamy-white flowers appear from late winter or early spring, followed by abundant olive-like fruits that ripen from green to dark purple or black, often persisting through autumn and winter.

Control

Hand weed small seedlings and place all seeds in green waste. For larger specimens, use secateurs or a saw to cut the base to a stump as low to ground as possible and then immediately paint with a neat glyphosate solution. Take care when using herbicide to avoid off-target damage or contamination. Herbicide treatment is best undertaken in active growth periods, such as early spring, prior to fruit development. Always wear PPE, follow product MSDS and never apply herbicide within 3hr of rain.

General Biosecurity Duty

All landowners or land managers have a responsibility to control weeds on their property, known as a General Biosecurity Duty. If you notice invasive weeds emerging on your property, you will need to control them as soon as possible to prevent them spreading to other properties or into bushland.

Free Advice, Resources & Native plants

Join Council’s free Backyard Habitat program to receive a garden consultation, personalised advice and native plants for your garden.

Native Look-a-like: Mock Olive - Notelaea longifolia

To distinguish African Olive from the similar native Mock Olive (Notelaea longifolia), examine the leaf undersides and fruit. Mock Olive leaves are also opposite but are usually a more uniform dull green on both surfaces, lacking the distinctly silvery underside and have a stiff texture with undulating leaf margins. Its fruits are typically fewer and less conspicuous, whereas African Olive produces heavy crops of fleshy, dark fruits.

Weed biosecurity includes:

• preventing the entry of new weeds;
• finding, containing and eradicating emerging weeds; and
• minimising the impacts from weeds that cannot be eradicated.

Weeds are now divided into State, Regional and Local Priority Weeds (formerly referred to as Noxious Weeds). The Greater Sydney Regional Strategic Weed Management Plan 2023 - 2027 identifies State and Regional Priority Weeds and outcomes to demonstrate compliance with the General Biosecurity Duty. Council is a member of the Central Subnetwork Regional Weeds Committee, which coordinates a regional approach to weed management.

• Council responsibility

Under the Biosecurity Act 2015, as the Local Control Authority, Council has a legal obligation to manage the biosecurity risk posed to human health, the economy, community and the environment by weeds. Council manages weeds on Council land through its bushland management programs. Council also inspects private land to ensure land owners/managers are carrying out their obligations.

• Your responsibility

All landowners or land managers have a responsibility to control Priority Weeds on their property, known as a General Biosecurity Duty. If you notice invasive weeds coming up on your property, you will need to control them as soon as possible to prevent them spreading to other properties or into bushland.

Identifying and Managing Weeds