A three-year project to eradicate the highly invasive introduced weed known as cat’s claw creeper in and around Oxley Creek is well underway, with a third of the project already complete.
The project, led by the Brisbane Sustainability Agency in partnership with the Oxley Creek Catchment Association, received a grant of $1.1 million from the Australian Government in February last year to assist in revitalising the health of Oxley Creek.
Cat’s claw creeper is a destructive weed that threatens ecosystems by smothering native vegetation, destabilising creek beds, and impacting water quality, the Brisbane Sustainability Agency said.
Brisbane Sustainability Agency CEO, Tracy Melenewyc, said that although the project would focus on eradicating the weed locally, it would have knock-on effects regionally.
“Environmental improvements to local catchments, creeks and the Brisbane River will ultimately reduce sediment, nutrients and pollution entering Moreton Bay,” she said.
“Undertaking this project helps protect the bay’s critical natural, social, and economic values for Brisbane.”
More than 37ha of public and private land at risk of being overrun by cat’s claw creeper will be targeted in Brisbane’s Oxley Creek Catchment and aiming to restore native vegetation, protect water quality, and improve creekbank stability.
Brisbane Sustainability Agency said a combination of mechanical, herbicide, and biological control methods, including the introduction of animals like Leaf-mining Jewel Beetles, insects known to attack cat’s claw creeper, to regain control over areas dense with the weed.
A Leaf-mining Jewel Beetle breeding facility will be established, the Brisbane Sustainability Agency said, in order to supply enough beetles for the program’s biological treatment methods.
An estimated 23km of Oxley Creek’s banks, between the suburbs of Greenwood Lakes and Rocklea, have been impacted by the creeper weed, weakening ecosystems and water quality in its path.
Private property owners in these areas have been contacted for approval to inspect, treat, and manage their land in relation to cat’s claw creeper.
Management will continue for five years after the project is completed to ensure the eradication of the creeper
Member for Moreton, Graham Perrett, said targeting cat’s claw creeper would improve flora and fauna habitats for native species.
“The weed threatens water quality and contributes to erosion, and tackling it means rejuvenating the habitat for wildlife, native vegetation, and for the thousands of people who visit the area annually,” said Perrett.
The project began in early 2025 and is expected to continue for three years, ending in early 2028.
