Bridal Creeper Control in Port Germein Gorge

Port Germein Gorge is a special site for many people. It is rugged, beautiful and holds many natural treasures.

Port Germein is where the Flinders Ranges truly meet the sea. Located 27 kilometres north of Port Pirie on National Highway One in the mid-north, South Australia.

The area was hard hit by the 2014 Bangor fire but one benefit of this event was that it enabled safe chemical control of Bridal Creeper, a weed of national significance (WONS).

Anne Brown, our Senior Vegetation Consultant in SA and local Northern and Yorke resident explains:

“The fire removed the cover of native plants enabling easy access to the Bridal Creeper which emerged before the natives began to recover.”

“The results of this spray program funded by the Australian Government through the Northern and Yorke NRM and the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, were clear this year when contractors returned to assess and control the new season’s growth.”

“This now consist of only small seedlings where once there were mats of intertwined weeds.”

The control of this weed will still need to continue with landowners remaining dedicated to eradicating this weed but the task no longer seems impossible, enabling the Gorge to recover and blossom as it was once was.