Managing gamba grass and landholder responsibilities

If you're a landholder in the Northern Territory (NT), you must take all reasonable measures to prevent gamba grass from spreading on your land or to other people's land.

Different requirements apply to the zone you're in. If you're unsure, check your declaration zone.

What you must do

If your property is in the class A zone, you must destroy all gamba on your property by July 2023.

If your property is in the class B zone and it's:

• less than 3 ha (7.4 acres), you must destroy all gamba by July 2023
• bigger than 3 ha (7.4 acres), you must:
  • have a 15m wide gamba-free area around your property boundaries, driveways and infrastructure
  • actively reduce gamba plants every year
  • destroy all outlier gamba grass plants and infestations as soon as possible.

These are requirements under the weed management plan - 2020 to 2030 PDF (2.0 MB). Read about the management plan.

For more information about the gamba grass free area required around your property boundary, driveways and infrastructure, read the gamba grass free buffers fact sheet PDF (2.4 MB).

Gamba grass compliance approach

The Weed Management Branch is responsible for ensuring that land managers are controlling gamba grass appropriately.

For more information, read the Weeds Management Act: compliance policy PDF (1.1 MB).

Fuel load issues and firebreak compliance are managed by NT Fire and Emergency Services under:

• the Bushfires Management Act 2016
• the Fire and Emergency Act 1996.

Property inspections and compliance

Weed management officers undertake property inspections to check for gamba grass.

Officers may issue an order requiring you to control gamba grass.

Not following an order is an offence under the Weeds Management Act 2001.

See the below image for an example of how you can comply.

Bushfire planning and mitigation strategies

To test a range of bushfire planning and mitigation strategies relevant to gamba grass on rural residential blocks, check out the Darwin rural fire simulation.

Contact

If you have any questions, contact the Weed Management Branch.