Keynote Speaker – Mr Glen Johnson
Glen Johnson is the Victorian Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP) Hume Region Biodiversity Recovery Coordinator based in Wodonga. His current role in the Bushfire Recovery program includes the coordination of threatened flora and fauna protection, invasive species control and community-based nature-led recovery projects. Glen has over 30 years of experience in biodiversity conservation and threatened species management, covering a diversity of environments from mallee to alpine and box ironbark to lowland grassy ecosystems. His threatened fauna expertise includes management of species such as Stone Curlew, Regent Honeyeater and Spotted Tree frog. He also has extensive experience in the conservation of numerous threatened orchid species through the integration of weed control and ecological burn regimes. He has a passion for community-based biodiversity and nature conservation programs. Glen is an active member and secretary of Baranduda Landcare and committee member of the Kiewa Catchment Landcare Groups. He has led the delivery of numerous riparian restoration and revegetation projects in the Baranduda Landcare area.
Monday 21 March 2022
Time
Title
3:00
Registration desk opens Albury Entertainment Centre
5:30
Conference Welcome Function – Albury Entertainment Centre
Proudly sponsored by NSW Weeds Officers Association
Tuesday 22 March 2022
Time
Presenter
Presentation Title
8:30
Welcome to Country
8:40
Official Opening & Welcome
8:55
Glen Johnson
Keynote Presentation
9:35
Elissa Van Oosterhout
Pathways to prohibited matter
10:00
Morning Tea Break - Meet the Sponsors
Concurrent sessions - Talking weeds and Search and eradicate
Time
Presenter
Presentation Title
10:30
Sonia Graham
Talking weeds - Measuring the success of collaborative weed management: insights from practitioners
Jane Kelly
Search and eradicate - Weeds managers guide to remote detection: Understanding opportunities and limitations for remote detection of weeds
10:55
Kaitlyn Height
Talking weeds - Insights from stakeholder perspectives for more effictive area-wide management of herbicide resistance in weeds of cropping systems
Kathryn Sheffield
Search and eradicate - Automated detection of alligator weed (Alteranthera philoxeroides) from aerial imagery
11:20
Chris Jackson
Talking weeds - Leading the way for a new regional approach to weed management on state agencies in central tablelands
Wendy Menz
Search and eradicate - Finding hawkweed in NSW utilising drones and GIS
11:45
Bianca Gold
Talking weeds - Learning about weed management after fire through webinars
Charles Mifsud
Search and eradicate - Floods as a pathway of spread for Water Weeds
12:10
Lunch
Plenary session - Weeds and fire
Time
Presenter
Presentation Title
13:10
Kerry Spencer
Challengers for post fire weed control within a critically endanged Littoral Rainforest, East Gippsland
13:30
Mel Wilkerson
Blackberries and bushfires
13:50
Laura Williams
Unexpected weed outcomes on the Road to Recovery
14:10
Megan Wyllie
Weed management after fire in the South-East
14:30
Afternoon Tea Break
Concurrent sessions - New Incursions and Strategy
Time
Presenter
Presentation Title
15:00
Michaela Heinson
New Incursions - Coordinated efforts across regional and state borders drive action to implement the SA Buffel Grass Strategic Plan
Luke McKee
Strategy - At what cost? Assessing the impact of weeds on agriculture in SE NSW
15:25
Anthony Schofield
New Incursions - Frogbit: Collaborative Delimited Exercise
Neville Plumb
Strategy - Weeds duty tool - a new localised weed risk assessment system
15:50
Greg Holland
New Incursions - Community efforts to halt the spread of an early-invader weed - Karamu
Mark Hamilton
Strategy - Proactive adaptive management is critical to weed eradication: Learnings from the NSW hawkweed eradication program
16:15
Nicola Dixon
New Incursions - The biosecurity Act and the cut-flower and foliage industry
Michael Michelmore
Strategy - Robust weed programs from paddock, properties and districts
Day One Concludes - 4:40pm
16:45
NSW Weed Officers Association meeting
18:30
Casual Dinner - Kinross Hotel
Wednesday 23 March 2022
8:15
House keeping
Plenary session
Time
Presenter
Presentation Title
8:30
Jodie Bartlett-Taylor
Training pathways for weeds professionals
8:50
Rod Ensbey
Parthenium
9:10
Lyn Coulson
Blackberry Taskforce
9:30
Concurrent sessions - Online sales and digital solutions and Voluntary compliance
Time
Presenter
Presentation Title
9:35
Claire Lock
Online sales and digital solutions - WeedScan - A mobile phone app for identifying and managing weeds in Australia
Paul Martin
Voluntary compliance - Chain chain change part 3 - behaviour change strategy to Lantana on the far south coast NSW
10:00
Zachariah Munakamwe
Online sales and digital solutions - Collaborating to combat online trade of noxious weeds: bridging the borders
Simon Holloway
Voluntary compliance - WeedsCon 2020 - Delivering weeds information during a pandemic
10:25
Megan Wyllie
Online sales and digital solutions - Crime Stoppers Campaign - the emerging online trade of weeds
Caitlin Olsson
Voluntary compliance - Where weed management begins: a report on a joint agency educational pilot program.
10:50
Morning Tea Break
Concurrent sessions - Biocontrol: the search for new agents and Weed control methods
Time
Presenter
Presentation Title
11:20
Rae Kwong
Biocontrol: the search for new agents - Biological control of weeds in Victoria: an overview of current R&D programs
Kerrie Guppy
Weed control methods - Efficacy of Steam Weed Management on Mother of Millions (Bryophyllum species), Singapore Daisy (Sphagneticola trilobata) and Butterfly Heaven (Dyschoriste depressa)
11:55
Greg Lefoe
Biocontrol: the search for new agents - Assessing potential new biocontrol agents for silverleaf nightshade
Matt Bell
Weed control methods - Save water, save time, maximise efficiency with Sprayrite
12:20
Andrew McConnachie
Biocontrol: the search for new agents - Ox-eye daisy biocontrol
Tom Pickering
Weed control methods - Hume highway granula flupropanate trial aerial in collaboration with RMS
12:45
Lunch
Concurrent sessions - Biocontrol: assessment and implementation and Knowledge and assistance
Time
Presenter
Presentation Title
13:30
Jackie Steel
Biocontrol: assessment and implementation - Validating the New Zealand Biocontrol Risk Assessment Model for Australia: how land managers can participate
Yolanda Hanush
Knowledge and assistance - Weeds and flower-feeding insect interactions
14:00
Ben Gooden
Biocontrol: assessment and implementation - Release of the leaf-smut fungus (Kordyna brasiliensis) to help control wandering trad (Tradescantia fluminesis) - an update on progress in NSW and Victoria.
Luke Mckee
Knowledge and assistance - Beefing up Braidwood
14:30
Andy McKinnon
Biocontrol: assessment and implementation - Cactus biocontrol
Charles McClintock
Knowledge and assistance - Introducing Clipper Herbicide
15:00
Afternoon Tea Break
Plenary Forum - Bridging Borders
Time
Presenter
Presentation Title
15:30
Tony Dugdale
Current industry best management practices for sagittaria in Australia
15:40
Nicola Dixon
Working with weeds in NSW
15:50
Alexei Rowles
Working with Weeds in Victoria
16:00
Rod Ensbey
Queensland NSW Cross-border taskforce a long-term model for collaboration
16:10
Hillary Cherry
Consultation on a National Established Weeds Framework: Building and Improving on Weeds of National Significance
16:20
Forum discussion – working effectively across borders (Discussion leader required)
16:50
Official wrap up and close - Conference Chair
Day Two Concludes - 5.00pm
19.00
Conference Dinner - Albury Entertainment Centre Proudly Sponsored by Quikcorp
Thursday 24 March 2022
7.30
Conference Breakfast and Demonstrations – Albury Entertainment Centre
9.30 to 10.30
Coaches depart for field trips
Field Trip 1
The Natural Beauty of Nail Can Hill and The Murray River – Albury
This trip includes a walk and talk along Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk which features a series of stunning contemporary Aboriginal sculptures created by local Aboriginal Artists that line the Wagirra Trail along the Murray River from Wonga Wetlands. After lunch, a short bus trip to Albury’s high conservation area of Nail Can Hill will take you for a journey to enjoy its diverse and beautiful annual display of wildflowers.Field Trip 2
Gold Country - Victoria
Relive the glory days of the gold rush as we tour through the historic towns of Chiltern, Eldorado and Beechworth. We will meander along Old Coach Road through Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park where we will visit the spectacular Woolshed Falls. Within the park, we will meet with rangers from Parks Victoria and members of the Friends of Chiltern Mt Pilot NP to hear about local invasive species issues and see the success of the biocontrols against prickly pear and wheel cactus. The tour will conclude with an opportunity to wander around the beautiful town of Beechworth at your leisure, where you may wish to visit The Old Beechworth Gaol, Mayday Hills Asylum or partake in a refreshing ale at the Bridge Road Brewery.Field Trip 3
Fire recovery in the Upper Murray – Victoria
Following the 2020 bushfires, invasive plants and animals have presented a significant threat to the biodiversity values in the Upper Murray district of Victoria. The landscape is characterised by mountains, foothills and floodplains, with large tracts of park, reserve and state forest interspersed with agricultural land and timber production. Mitigating the impacts of invasive species requires partnerships between government agencies, landholders and community groups. In this field trip, we will travel through the country which links the Murray River to the Victorian Alps, visiting scenic locations to hear how collaborations are helping the landscape recover after a fire. We will learn about the integrated programs in parks and reserves tackling pest plant and animal issues, and visit the Pheasant Creek Flora and Fauna reserve to see first-hand how various activities occur in concert to protect critical habitatField Trip 4
Murray & Greater Hume NSW - Burrumbuttock/Tabletop/Holbrook
Rolling Hills and Rugged Bushland sitting at the gateway of the Upper Murray-Holbrook/Woomargama. From drought to fires to relentless downpours. The past 5 years has definitely tested this productive Agricultural and Environmental landscape. The trip includes visits to properties that have persisted through these challenging times through adaptation and resilience. Along the way, we will meet the various agencies and champions who work tirelessly on projects in this area to showcase the invaluable resource of information this region has to offer. The trip will end with a visit to the HMAS OTWAY Submarine and Museum located in Holbrook. Refreshments will conclude the trip in Holbrook at the end of the trip.Field Trip 5
Training day – Weed Practitioner Essentials
If you’re new to the weeds industry or need to improve and update your skills this is the option for you. You’ll be out and about covering work related activities such as: • identify and visit a high-risk site • undertake a weeds inspection • learning about community engagement tips and tricks • weed identification – how to get help, what if I find something, prohibited matter weeds • what training and is out there and can I get a qualification? • stakeholder engagement and networking skills (over a beverage!).16.00
Coaches begin arriving back at Albury Entertainment Centre and conference concludes