The best defence is a good offence when it comes to invasive weeds, according to four former West Coast Eagles greats who are leading by example in Nature Conservation Margaret River Region’s Arum Lily Blitz.
And they’re hoping to be part of a movement that will sound the final siren on the toxic weeds across the Margaret River region.
Laurie Keene (Gracetown), John Annear (Metricup), Peter Wilson (Redgate) and Dean Kemp (Margaret River) have swapped footy boots for spray packs in Nature Conservation’s Arum Lily Blitz, a coordinated campaign to control the fast-spreading invasive weed which can decimate bushland and habitat for wildlife.
With strong football pedigrees — Keene a respected Eagles ruckman; Annear at Hawthorn, Richmond and the West Coast Eagles; and Wilson and Kemp both dual West Coast premiership players — the quartet are now putting their energy into protecting the places they call home.
At Gracetown, Keene is taking a hands-on approach, working through bushland, creek lines and coastal areas to control arum lily infestations. “I really enjoy the native flora and fauna,” he said. “I’m just vehemently opposed to the proliferation of these invasive species – both plants and animals. Arum lily is hideous and it just wipes out our natives.”
His advice to others is simple and direct: “Join up. Get on board. And don’t let the community down. A lot of people don’t like using spray, but you’ve got to remember the herbicide Nature Conservation supply (called chlorsulfuron) is very targeted.”
Dean Kemp, Peter Wilson, John Annear and Laurie Keene are all enthusiastic supporters of the Arum Lily Blitz
On his 140-acre property in Metricup, Annear – who now works as a physiotherapist – is also controlling arum lily, contributing to a growing, coordinated effort that now spans thousands of hectares across the region. “I used to think they were quite a nice flower, but then I ran into a patient who is part of the Arum Lily Blitz and who explained what a pesky thing they are,” said Annear. “For two or three years now we’ve been on a mission to control them.
“The herbicide doesn’t seem to have any adverse effects on other vegetation, but it’s a very effective way to get rid of arum lily. This year we started to see native orchids popping up where you never would have seen them before. And now the neighbours are showing interest too. It’s been really successful.”
Meanwhile on his Redgate property, Wilson has mostly eradicated arum lily but said he gets some re-seeding from surrounding properties where arum lilies are not being controlled. “I’m just waiting for those few to come up and they’ll get a whack on the head again,” he said. “If one or two people don’t understand that they are a weed, it can let down a whole neighbourhood. It’s clear that the more people get on board, the more effective the Blitz will be.”
Kemp added: “I love the native bushland – it’s magnificent. That’s what living down here is all about. But to preserve it and look after nature, we’ve got to control arum lily. It’s as simple as that.”
Nature Conservation Margaret River Region Arum Lily Blitz Coordinator Obelia Walker said the former football stars were helping demonstrate the power of coordinated community action.
“Laurie, John, Peter and Dean aren’t just footy champions, they’re champions for our bushland,” she said. “This is about teamwork at a landscape scale – that’s how we turn the tide on arum lily, when everyone plays their part.”
The Arum Lily Blitz supports landholders with tools, training and coordination to tackle the weed before it spreads further and impacts remnant bushland and habitat. With winter rains triggering arum lily to spring up, now is the time for landholders to act — and follow the lead of those already making a difference on the ground.
An arum lily infestation
The campaign is one of Australia’s largest community-scale weed control programs, with more than 2,600 landholders registered across 30,000 hectares and hundreds more joining each year. It is also one of Nature Conservation’s key community conservation initiatives, supporting landholders to reduce invasive weeds and protect high-value bushland, waterways and habitat corridors.
Landholders across the Margaret River Region are encouraged to sign up, access free advice and herbicide, and be part of the community-wide effort to control this invasive weed. Visit our Arum Lily Blitz webpage.