The City of Onkaparinga contains over 1,500 parcels of open space, representing almost 1600Ha. Our goal is to provide and/or manage a diverse range of open space land that facilitates recreational, lifestyle and environmental opportunities which are safe, promote physical health and social interaction and increase property values through enhanced landscape amenity, buffering and the protection and restoration of natural and cultural environments.

Our open space assets are distributed across the city and range from developed sites that require high levels of regular maintenance, to more natural and undeveloped areas requiring significantly different maintenance regimes.

This specification describes the requirements for the control of weeds growing within road reserves, roadside verges, roundabouts and traffic control devices, sealed and unsealed footpaths, kerbs and gutters, within our urban and township areas.

It directs treatment of those areas to ensure they meet functional, environmental and aesthetic requirements, that infrastructure and assets are protected, and that risks are properly identified and managed.

Weed management may include chemical, mechanical, cultural, or biological controls or the integration of two or more of those measures. Council advocates an Integrated Weed Management (IWM) approach and acknowledges that while chemical treatment is appropriate for many applications, due to perception, risk or other influences, alternative (non-chemical) control methods may be undertaken in specific locations.

Herbicide is the principal method of control governed by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) and is underpinned by the Controlled Substances (Pesticides) Regulations 2017.