Alice Springs art exhibition highlights buffel grass devastation

A wet winter in parts of Central Australia has led to a surge in buffel grass, an invasive weed that is wreaking havoc on the region. Artists are turning the weed into art to raise awareness about its destructive impact. The National Biosecurity Council is expected to decide in December whether to add buffel grass to the list of weeds of national significance.

Western Arrernte artist Carita Coultard's watercolour paintings showcase bush foods that she remembers collecting as a child, lamenting that they are now scarce due to buffel grass. Coultard and other Indigenous artists created an exhibition at the Olive Pink Botanic Gardens in Alice Springs, using buffel paper to highlight the issue.

Volunteers in Alice Springs are battling buffel along the Todd River to protect valuable red gum trees that are threatened by the fire risk caused by the weed. A recent economic assessment found that the costs of buffel grass spread far outweigh the benefits to the pastoral sector. NT Lands, Planning and Environment Minister Joshua Burgoyne has sought funding for buffel grass management, but the decision on its national significance is still pending.