On The Land
11 September, 2026
Clean-up crew tackle cat-astrophic Cats Claw
LANDHOLDERS across the Tablelands are being urged to keep a lookout for the highly invasive Climbing Cat’s Claw after volunteers and Tablelands Regional Council workers joined forces at the end of August to tackle an infestation along Priors Creek.
Atherton resident Jenny Whyte raised the alarm after spotting the weed and immediately alerted the council and local volunteer groups.
“People are not used to seeing this vine up here, but I’ve seen the devastation it is causing in southern Queensland,” she said.
“The vine forms dense mats on the ground and uses cat-like claws to wrap around tree trunks.
“Koalas can’t climb up – and I think the same thing could happen to our unique tree kangaroos.
“The vines then smother and kill the forest canopy. It’s a total transformation to a monoculture and very hard to eradicate.”
Fortunately, the Priors Creek infestation remained localised, giving crews an opportunity to tackle it before it could spread further.
TRC Senior Land Protection officer Ken Goleby said Cat’s Claw was particularly difficult to eradicate because it could reproduce through an extensive underground network of tubers as well as seeds produced by its distinctive yellow flowers.
“It’s possible the Claw may have been an ornamental plant that escaped from a garden backing onto the Priors Creek area,” Mr Goleby said.
“It’s a reminder for everyone not to dump garden waste into bushland.
“Cat’s Claw cannot be composted. Any material removed from an infestation needs to be securely contained in a sealed plastic bag and taken to a refuse station.”
Climbing Cat’s Claw (Dolichandra unguis-cati) is native to Central and South America and is recognised as one of Australia’s worst environmental weeds.
It is listed as a Weed of National Significance and is a Category 3 Restricted Invasive Plant in Queensland, meaning it cannot be given away, sold or released into the environment.
While biological controls, including moths and jewel beetles, are being researched, eradication currently involves intensive manual work.
Crews are pulling vines and tubers from the ground, cutting vines from trees and applying a 1:3 glyphosate treatment to the cut stems. The treatment needs to be repeated over several years to exhaust the plant’s seed bank and underground tubers.
Friends of Hallorans Hill, Barron Catchment Care, Yungaburra Landcare and 4T Rail Trail volunteers joined council workers for the clean-up, demonstrating the important role the community can play in identifying and tackling invasive weeds before they become widespread.
Residents who spot suspected Cat’s Claw are encouraged to report it to Tableland Regional Council or Queensland’s invasive plant authorities and not attempt to spread, compost or dispose of the plant with ordinary garden waste.
