20 February 2026
As any landholder knows, tackling weeds can sometimes feel like an endless cycle. You pull, you spray, you slash, and next season they’re back. But for the Black Range Land Management Group (BRLMG), managing invasive plants isn’t just about manual labour anymore - it’s become a strategic operation, thanks to some local expertise and a new way of thinking about weeds.
Over the last few years, the Black Range Land Management Group has welcomed a wave of new members. It’s been fantastic to see so much fresh energy, but it also brought up a challenge for the group: how do we pass on decades of local knowledge to people who might be new to the area? How do we explain which weeds are annoying but manageable, versus the ones that are a real threat to our ecosystem?
This is where Mark Farrer stepped in. Mark is a founding member of BRLMG, but he also brings some serious credentials to the table. He spent nearly 40 years working for the Victorian State Government in conservation and agriculture, specializing in invasive plant and animal management. Even in retirement, Mark has been busy supporting weed and pest management in our region. In 2023 he led the development of our group’s own Invasive Plant and Animal Management Plan. It’s a professional-grade strategy that is based on approaches developed by researchers.
Not every group has a 'Mark', and this sort of strategic, scentifically grounded approach is something Mark would like to help every Landcare group do. So, with support from the Agriculture Victoria "Partnerships Against Pests" program, Mark and our local facilitator Elia designed a standard workshop to help groups figure out their weed priorities.
The Weed Prioitisation Workshop
The idea behind the workshop is simple: let’s stop guessing and start planning. It moves the conversation from "I hate that weed" to "Here is why that weed is our top priority, and here is our plan for that weed."
First off, we ask: what are we actually protecting? Is it grazing land? Native bush? Local waterways? Once we agree on what’s important, it’s much easier to decide which weeds are the biggest threat. Next, we compile local knowledge. Everyone lists the weeds they’re seeing on their properties, which they are worried about. It’s a great way for newer members to learn from the long-timers and get a real picture of what’s happening on the ground. We discuss what the current extent of each weed is (is it a small population that is expanding? Or a large stable population?). And we discuss the value of the habitat it threatens (is it mostly along roadsides in town? Or in creek lines?)
Local knowledge is the foundation, but the science is also vital. The next step is cross-referencing our "suspect list" with official risk assessment data that has been compiled as part of the Victoria Pest Plant Prioritisation Process. This helps us separate the nuisance weeds from the serious environmental threats.
Just because a weed is bad doesn't mean we can fix it overnight. We then look at the feasibility of control—how much time and money will it take? This saves us from burning out on battles we can’t win and helps us focus on where we can make a real difference.
Finally, we act. The groups can then categorize each weed with a clear strategy, suh as eradicate, control or accept. They can plan how much funding they need to apply for in their next Landcare grant, or how many hectares of work they'd like to organise through the Landmate Program. This gives everyone a clear roadmap for the next few years.
Going Digital
Originally, we ran this process with butcher’s paper and sticky notes, and a somewhat complicated looking excel spreadsheet. But with the help of Agriculture Victoria funding, we’ve taken the entire process online.
We’ve built a web-based tool that guides any group or landholder through these exact same steps. It’s designed to be user-friendly, even if you’re not a tech whiz or a botanist. The best part? It connects directly to real data. It is based on the scientific ratings of the Victorian Plant Pest Prioritization Process as well as information about each weeds compiled from Weeds Australia. This means when you add a weed to you plan, you’re getting the official scientific facts—invasiveness scores, potential impact, and identification photos—right there on the screen. You don’t need to be an expert to get expert advice. The tool even does the maths for you, suggesting a priority order for your weeds. It takes the guesswork out of the decision-making.
By combining local enthusiasm with professional-grade data, we’re helping Landcare groups work smarter, not just harder! A massive thank you to Mark Farrer and the Black Range Land Management Group for inspiring the project.
Elia Pirtle
Landcare Facilitator