Keeping the larapuna coast (and ourselves) healthy

There are 27,500 less sea spurge plants on the larapuna coast after the larapuna Community Weekend held in mid-August this year.

More than seventy walkers hunted out sea spurge and marine debris while enjoying 38km this magnificent coast on four walks over three days. The annual event covers the coast from wukalina / Mt William National Park to, this year, the Gardens and is organised by Friends of larapuna Coast and their many partners.

Wildcare members and others come from everywhere for the 6-13km day walks to help keep this special coast healthy and immerse themselves in the land and seascape. Special guests this year were Tjaltjraak Community from Esperance WA who also face a sea spurge problem.

A highlight of larapuna Community Weekend is a Saturday afternoon tea, ‘Snappy Talks’ and BBQ – which was held this year at the Aboriginal Land Council’s houses at Eddystone Point. The Tjaltjraak Aboriginal Rangers shared stories of their work on the land, coast and in the community of Esperance. Progress and prospects for fungal biocontrol of sea spurge were explained by Jon Marsden-Smedley (SPRATS).

Lillian&Megan-Adriftlab

Working with Wildcare Friends of larapuna Coast to stage the event are PWS, NRM North, Tasmanian Walking Company, the Aboriginal Land Council Tasmania, Break O’Day Council, Adrift Lab, Friends of Eddystone Point Lighthouse and the Anson’s Bay Progress and Planning Association.

Two COVID gap years has not helped the groups ‘sea spurge free’ aims for larapuna and the Tasmanian east coast to the south. Fortunately, NRM North’s ‘Defending the Hood’ (-ed plover) project has been funding some herbicide treatment of bigger patches of sea spurge, with great success thanks in part to so many volunteers swarming in to mop-up the edges and clear sea spurge trying to establish on the rest of the coastline. Sea spurge will keep coming in from the sea and the work will continue – 15,000 were left behind this year in big patches.

Friends of larapuna Coast are also looking to keeping sea spurge off the east coast. Friends of Freycinet National Park walk much of the coast north of the park each year and community groups and locals keep pulling this beach weed out on beaches in between.

If you are interested in helping the effort and getting involved, the group will be meeting on Sunday 27 November at Falmouth. For more details keep an eye on the Events Calendar or for emails if you are a Wildcare Friends of larapuna Coast member. (To join the group, simply log into the Wildcare website, go to Wildcare Friends of the larapuna coast, and click the ‘Join this Branch’ button).