Landholders along Old Ellenbrook Road are joining forces to tackle one of the South-West’s most invasive weeds, working together to stop arum lilies spreading along the Ellen Brook and into the nearby Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park.
The neighbours have signed up to Nature Conservation Margaret River Region’s Arum Lily Blitz, recognising that coordinated action is key to protecting the beautiful creekline and the native vegetation and wildlife that depend on it.
For Annie Malcolm, who has lived on her property for 35 years, the spread has been startling. “I had none here only three years ago, and then suddenly the arum lilies were here – so they can really take hold very quickly,” Annie said. Her property had a major infestation last year, much of it hidden among thick bush. She contacted Nature Conservation and began working with weed control contractor Rick Ensley to control the arum lily outbreak.
“Not just myself but all of us along Old Ellenbrook Road are now really onto it – that’s the secret to our success,” she said. “If I wasn’t taking care of my lot, the neighbours downstream would be getting the spread from my lilies, and the same with my neighbours upstream. All together – that’s why we’re having such good success. Working together is a must.”
An arum lily infestation
Seeing how quickly arum lily can spread
Kerry Warburton said the previous owners of her property had kept arum lilies under control, but she has seen how quickly the weed can spread. “Arum lily just seems to take over so rapidly, and that’s so disappointing,” Kerry said “We have to do what we can to stop it for the sake of our nature and our environment.”
Kerry’s property is also home to a large number of endangered western ringtail possums, adding to her motivation to protect the native habitat along the creek.
Further along the road, Chris Ryder and his partner, artist Rachael Coad, have been keeping a close eye on their creekline since clearing a large amount of blackberry from the property.
“We see the odd arum lily, and now we know how rapidly they spread, so we stay right on top of them,” Chris said. “In years gone by everyone thought they were fabulous flowers, but now we know how destructive they are.”
Neighbours Annie Malcolm, Kerry Warburton, Chris Ryder, Noelene Willcox are working together to stop arum lily on the Ellen Brook
Neighbours making a big difference
Chris believes coordinated action can make a significant difference. “If we do have a coordinated effort, it will clear up the valley,” he said. “It is just divine to live here. We are very, very lucky to live here, and that comes with a responsibility.”
Neighbours Noelene and Chris Willcox have lived along the creek for 39 years and have also watched the infestation grow. “We’ve always had arum lilies on our property, and they are everywhere now,” Noelene said.
The couple has joined the Arum Lily Blitz and is booked to have their property treated by Rick Ensley, a legendary local contractor waging a war against the invaders.
“Everyone else is onto it along our street, so it’s a joint effort. We need to get rid of them, that’s what should be done,” Noelene said.
What healthy bush can look like when it is free from arum lily infestations
Weed control works when landholders work together
Arum Lily Blitz coordinator Obelia Walker said the Old Ellenbrook Road project was a strong example of why landscape-scale weed control depends on landholders working together.
“Arum lilies don’t recognise property boundaries, so controlling them on one block while they are left to spread on the next simply isn’t going to solve the problem,” Obelia said. “When neighbours work together, we have a much better chance of protecting the whole creekline or area, and preventing arum lily from moving further through the landscape.”
Arum lilies can spread rapidly, forming dense stands that crowd out native plants and degrade habitat for native wildlife. Along waterways, infestations can spread between properties and threaten the ecological values of entire creek systems.
For the Old Ellenbrook Road residents, the fight against arum lily is ultimately about protecting a place they feel incredibly lucky to call home.
“I just love living here, and enjoying the trees and the creek and the solitude,” Noelene said.
The Arum Lily Blitz is led by Nature Conservation Margaret River Region and works with landholders and partners across the region to control arum lily and protect native ecosystems. Join the Blitz and receive free herbicide and advice at www.natureconservation.org.au