Prevent weed spread: industry and recreation

The spread of weeds can cause significant impact to the environment, agriculture and recreational areas.

You can help stop the spread of weeds.

Prevent weed spread

You must thoroughly clean equipment, vehicles and any items used to treat weeds before leaving a site.

Plant fragments, seeds, soil or mud containing seeds of a declared weed are all forms of contamination.

Types of vehicles and equipment for cleaning can include:

• cars, motorcycles, ATVs and quad bikes
• tractors and implements (slashers)
• earth moving machinery (bulldozers)
• harvesting equipment
• trucks
• boats
• backpacks, clothing and footwear.

How to clean

You must have dedicated wash-down areas that can be monitored for weed germination.

It's an offence to move vehicles, machinery and other equipment contaminated by a declared weed.

You should clean using any of the following methods:

• use a blower or air compressor if you don’t have access to water
• use a stiff brush or broom to remove dry soil, mud and loose seeds
• air blast large quantities of seeds in hard to reach areas such as cavities and joints
• vacuum inside the cab to remove contaminants
• use a hose or a low or high pressure cleaner
• detergents may help remove grease, dirt and mud.

Where to look for weed seeds

Weed-contaminated soil and plant material can easily lodge in many different places.

You should check areas of your vehicles and equipment where grass and seeds can get caught.

Check any of the following:

• foot wells and mats
• carpet, spare tyre area and other recessed areas
• radiator, grille, gearbox and under windscreen wipers
• undercarriage and remove any mud clumps
• wheel arches, wheel trims, flares, step treads, bumpers, mud flaps, tyre rims, axles and diffs, bonnet vents, towballs and spare tyres
• tray and channels of tail gates, side guards, under chassis rails, floor welds and bolt holes
• trailer wheels, guards, trays, channels of the draw bar under the body and the tops of slashers
• quad/ATV wheels, belly plate and suspension and anywhere mud or weed seeds might be caught.
• boat decks and sides, propellers, anchor wells, cooling system inlet, bilges, bait wells and trailers
• clean footwear and remove weed seeds from socks and clothing.

Weed hygiene declaration

You can use the weed hygiene declaration PDF (443.7 KB):

• to confirm your vehicle is clean when moving between properties
• as a vehicle clean down checklist
• for your own purposes.

Under the Weeds Management Act 2001, it is not a statutory requirement to complete the declaration.

The Weed Management Branch do not conduct vehicle inspections.

To find out more, get the vehicle hygiene brochure  PDF (5.2 MB).

Find the latest weed information on the Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security website.

For help and information on weed management, contact the Weed Management Branch.