A new online tool developed by Botanic Gardens of Sydney and NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is set to elevate the state's ability to detect and eradicate some of the world's worst invasive plants.
The Virtual Reference Collection of Priority Weeds for NSW was delivered under the NSW New Weed Incursion Plan 2024-2030 to support early detection, help prevent new weed incursions and minimise the impact of invasive weeds.
Botanic Gardens of Sydney Weed Botanist, Patricia Lu-Irving, said digitisation has transformed archival material into a practical modern tool.
"Plant records and scientific collections which have been held by the NSW Government for more than 100 years have been used to create a digital resource which helps protect NSW from today's weed threats," Dr Lu-Irving said.
"Having this information at their fingertips gives people the ability to act quickly, boosting the state's capacity to recognise a potential weed incursion early, when eradication is still possible."
The online collection contains images of 29 weeds listed as Prohibited Matter, weeds classed as having the highest biosecurity risk.
NSW DPIRD weed ecologist, Stephen Johnson, said preventing new incursions is the most effective way to protect our landscapes, industries and communities.
"Many of these plants have never been seen before, or rarely seen, in NSW and now biosecurity and land managers can use this resource to identify them," Dr Johnson said.
"The virtual collection supports early detection, giving landholders, bush carers, farmers, horticulturists, councils and government agencies access to information they can use in the field, backyard, office or car from any digital device.
"Keeping NSW free from these priority weeds will deliver the biggest wins from our weed management efforts, saving millions of dollars' worth of control costs and damage to primary industries, the environment and communities."
Each of the 29 specimens can be magnified online to reveal botanical features essential for accurate identification.
The weed images are from the National Herbarium of New South Wales collection, part of the Botanic Gardens of Sydney, which holds more than one million preserved plant specimens.
One specimen featured is pressed water pennywort, Hydrocotyle ranunculoides, originally collected in 1895 and now supporting 21st century biosecurity efforts.
This new resource complements NSW WeedWise and adds another layer of support to people working on the ground.
DPIRD is training NSW weeds biosecurity officers from Local Control Authorities and other weed professionals across the state to use the new virtual tool as part of its Getting to Know Prohibited Matter Weeds courses.
It is an offence under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 to bring Prohibited Matter into NSW. These plants cannot be sold and any suspected sighting must be reported immediately to the NSW Biosecurity Helpline, 1800 680 244.
