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Camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora)

A large evergreen tree that dominates creek banks, old farmland and rainforest regrowth in south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales.

Key facts

Type: Weed, tree.

Native to: East Asia.

Established in: QLD, NSW.

Identification

  • Large tree with a dense, rounded crown and rough grey bark.
  • Glossy, oval leaves that smell of camphor when crushed.
  • Small cream flowers and black berries.

Where it grows

Riparian zones, paddocks, roadsides and rainforest margins.

Why it matters

  • Shades out native species.
  • Changes creek habitat and water quality.

How it spreads

  • Fruit eaten and spread by birds.

Control options

  • Stem injection or cut stump with registered herbicides.
  • Staged removal near watercourses with revegetation.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Seedlings can be hand pulled; dispose of fruiting branches.
  • Inspect and clean vehicles, plant and footwear before leaving an infested area, paying attention to tyres, radiators, belly plates, tracks and floor mats.
  • Wash down at a designated bay where runoff is contained and can be monitored for seedlings.
  • Record each washdown so the client has evidence of clean entry and exit.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Restricted matter, category 3. Do not give it away, sell or release it into the environment. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: Regional priority in 1 of 11 regions. Regional priority weed in Hunter. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Not declared. Not declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Other Victorian laws may still apply.
  • South Australia: Not declared. Not declared under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019. Other laws may still apply.
  • Western Australia: Permitted, not declared. Listed as a permitted organism in WA, so it can be brought in, but it is not a declared pest.
  • Tasmania: Not declared. Not a declared weed in Tasmania. Other laws may still apply.
  • Northern Territory: Check NT list. There is no NT weed profile for it. Check the NT declared weeds list for its current status.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • Queensland: Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld), administered by Biosecurity Queensland (13 25 23)
  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Sources