A major $1.1 million funding boost from the Australian Government is set to strengthen efforts to combat the highly invasive cat’s claw creeper, a destructive weed threatening the ecological health of Oxley Creek.

The creeper, an introduced Weed of National Significance, is smothering native vegetation, destabilising creekbanks, and compromising water quality. If left unchecked, it poses a serious risk to the long-term health of the region’s waterways.

Led by the Brisbane Sustainability Agency in partnership with the Oxley Creek Catchment Association, a three-year project supported by the grant funding will target creeper infestations across more than 45 hectares of public and private land.

Tracy Melenewycz, Brisbane Sustainability Agency CEO, said the eradication of cat’s claw creeper is an outcome of Brisbane Sustainability Agency’s focus on local projects with regional benefits.

“Environmental improvements to local catchments, creeks and the Brisbane River will ultimately reduce sediment, nutrients and pollution entering Moreton Bay; undertaking this project helps protect the bay’s critical natural, social and economic values for Brisbane,” said Melenewycz.

Aiming to restore native vegetation, protect water quality, and improve creekbank stability, the project will use a combination of mechanical, herbicide, and biological control methods—including the introduction of the Leaf-mining Jewel Beetle known to effectively attack the weed.

The cat’s claw creeper has spread along 23 kilometres of the creek’s corridor, contributing to erosion and water quality issues. By eradicating this weed, the project will not only benefit Oxley Creek but also help protect broader ecosystems, including Moreton Bay.

“Targeting the invasive cat’s claw creeper weed will improve the habitat around Oxley Cree,” said Graham Perrett MP, Member for Moreton.

“The weed threatens water quality and contributes to erosion, and tackling it means rejuvenating the habitat for wildlife, native vegetation, and for the thousands of people who visit the area annually,” said Perrett.

Work will begin in early 2025, continuing Brisbane Sustainability Agency’s efforts to restore Oxley Creek to a natural, thriving environment for wildlife and the local community.

The project is funded by the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust under the Urban Rivers and Catchments Program, with additional support provided by Brisbane Sustainability Agency.

Key features of the project include:

• A three-year program of combined mechanical, herbicide and biological treatments to eradicate cat’s claw creeper infestations within the Oxley Creek Corridor, between the suburbs of Greenbank and Rocklea.
• Establishment of a Leaf-mining Jewel Beetle breeding facility to supply adequate numbers of beetles for the program (biological treatment).
• Eradication of cat’s claw creeper to allow the regrowth of native plants along the creek banks, to provide fauna habitat and improved bank stability.
• Improving the stability of Oxley Creek’s banks to reduce erosion and the amount of fine sediments traveling into Moreton Bay, thereby limiting negative impacts to marine ecosystems.
• Enlisting the support of property owners, whose land will be treated under the project, to inspect and manage their treatment sites for a five-year period following completion of the project to achieve a comprehensive eradication outcome.