A huge piece of equipment which removes invasive vegetation from about 115 hectares of the Ross River has been moved upstream to give rowers and recreational river users plenty of space for upcoming events.
The cheekily-named Ross Nest Muncher is a 6.5 tonne aquatic weed harvester which targets removal of floating, submerged and marginal weeds like cabomba, salvinia and water hyacinth from the Ross River. These plants choke waterways, outcompete native plants and degrade water quality. The machine spends most of its time at Aplin's Weir to combat these fast-growing weeds, which thrive in this section of river because of shallower average depths, warmer water, higher density urban runoff and fewer powered vessels like boats and jetskis aerating the water.
The team behind the operation of the weed harvester has been laser-focused on clearing out key areas in Aplin's Weir to prepare for upcoming winter sports events, including rowing regattas. With that section of the river now in tip-top shape, the machine has been moved to Black Weir to remove submerged weeds.
Aitkenvale's divisional councillor Andrew Robinson said the weed harvester was an incredibly beneficial tool in Council's arsenal against introduced invasive plants.
"Healthy waterways are a vital part of a healthy city, so it's essential that Council remains on the front foot in the fight against invasive weeds," Cr Robinson said.
"The Ross Nest Muncher replaced an older aquatic weed harvester back in 2023. This machine is a real workhorse, pulling an average of 5,500 cubic metres of weeds out of our weirs each year, which are piled at strategic locations along our riverbanks to break down naturally and smother land-based weeds. This approach reduces manual labour, improves soil health and structure, reduces erosion and provides a habitat for native animals – it's a win-win.
"Another added benefit of the harvester is that it is able to collect rubbish from the river. Our team pulls about 400 litres of rubbish from the waterway every week, which is really beneficial for our riverine animals and birdlife."
Riverway's divisional councillor Deputy Mayor Suzy Batkovic said it was great to see the submerged aquatic weeds at Black Weir being removed.
"The water at Black Weir may look clear from above, but beneath the surface there are submerged weeds like cabomba that grow quickly and need to be routinely removed to minimise their impact on the Ross River," Cr Batkovic said.
"It's important that we keep on top of this type of maintenance to help protect the health of the Ross River. Having equipment like our aquatic weed harvester allows crews to safely and efficiently carry out this work throughout the year."
To learn more about Council's aquatic weed harvesting, visit the Weed Harvesting page.
