Council is urging the community to not pick or eat blackberries while it sprays them during their growth period (between now and April), to limit the spread of the noxious weed.
Council, private landholders and other agencies are required to target and limit the spread of blackberries under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994.
Council has a small window of opportunity to treat the weed to achieve the best results, with the plant then being dormant for the rest of the year during cooler months.
The spray that Council uses is heavily-diluted, with no scientific evidence that shows any impact to animals that continue to eat the berries.
Despite this, as a precaution Council still urges the community to not eat the berries during this time.
Blackberries are recognised as a Weed of National Significance (WoNS) in Australia due to their high degree of invasiveness, aggressive spread, and its economic and environmental impacts.
Blackberries can threaten agricultural and natural ecosystems by dominating other crops in its vicinity as well as natural vegetation.
Council's priority is to treat the blackberries before they fruit from January-March, however some spraying occasionally needs to take place while the weed does fruit, due to rapid growth in the region.
Advisory signs are in place at sites of spraying, and for any queries, community members can call Council's Bushland Team on 1300 368 333.
