The Federal Government provided about $250,000 to address the invasive weed Sea Spurge in the Bega Valley and Eurobodalla Shires, Kiama Municipal Council and the Shoalhaven City areas under its Caring for Our Country initiative.

A further $50,000 was provided to control other coastal weeds in the Bega Valley Shire and local communities in the region have contributed more than $400,000 to these two projects bringing total funding to nearly three-quarters of a million dollars.

Sea Spurge is an invasive weed that grows on beaches and dunes and adjacent sandy areas including off shore islands.

It thrives on our beaches as it has no predators.

Bega Valley Shire acting mayor Michael Britten said that under the Sea Spurge project, local indigenous communities, coastal volunteer groups, local, State and Federal government agencies had worked co-operatively to establish a containment line beyond which all infestations would be eliminated.

“Control measures have been implemented to bring remaining infestations to manageable levels and, as a result of the project, it is expected that infestations on coast beaches within the four local government areas will be reduced to levels that can be managed by local volunteers and agencies,” he said.

“This is about the community taking ownership of the environment and we will see community involvement and ownership grow as we deal with issues including climate change.

“To date significant achievements have been made in reducing or removing the weed.

“In the Bega Valley Shire the total area of beach strand along the coast with the potential for infestation by sea spurge is estimated at 415.25 hectares.

“When the project began early last year it was estimated that 27.3 per cent of this area had heavy infestations (113.5 hectares), 19 per cent had medium infestations (79 hectares), with the balance (53.7 per cent) having light infestations.