Chilean Needle Grass outbreak in Tumut Shire

A Chilean Needle Grass (Nassella neesiana) or CNG outbreak has been identified between Tumut and Adelong on the Snowy Mountains Highway.  Farmers and graziers in this area should check their stock and lands regularly to prevent the spread of the weed as well as your investment in livestock.

The flowering seed heads are a distinctive purplish colour and the seeds are very sharp at the point.

CNG is regarded as one of the worst weeds in Australia due to  its invasiveness tendencies, potential for spread, and economic and environmental impacts.

It is closely related to another Weed of National Significance (WONS) - serrated tussock (Nassella trichotoma).

CNG affects both sown pasture and native grasslands. It is relatively unpalatable and reduces farm productivity by displacing more desirable pasture species. Heavy infestations can decrease productivity by as much as 50%. It also causes injury to stock and downgrades wool, skins and hides with its long, sharp seeds.

As an environmental weed, it reduces biodiversity in native grasslands, where it out competes with indigenous species.  The average annual cost of controlling CNG is between $60 and $120 per hectare, depending on infestation density.

In Tumut Shire, CNG is a Class 3 Noxious Weed which means it is a weed that poses a potentially serious threat to primary production or the environment. It is not widely distributed in the area but is likely to spread.

“The plant must be fully and continuously suppressed and destroyed and the plant may not be sold, propagated or knowingly distributed”