Prickly Acacia WONS Strategy

Prickly acacia (Acacia nilotica subsp. indica) is one of northern Australia's worst weeds. It is a woody shrub/tree that aggressively replaces grasslands with thorny thickets. It costs primary production over $5 million per annum by decreasing pasture production and hindering mustering. Over 6 million hectares of arid and semi-arid Queensland are infested to date. It has potential to infest 50 million hectares of grasslands in Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia. This strategy was developed after extensive community consultation. The major challenges for prickly acacia are prevention of seed spread, managing extensive infestations and ensuring follow up treatment in infested areas.