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Toe toe (Austroderia richardii)

Toe toe is naturalised and invasive in Tasmania, where it has spread from roadside plantings. It competes with and excludes native plants, and is reported to clog drains and choke waterways.

Key facts

Type: Weed, grass.

Native to: New Zealand.

Established in: TAS.

Other names: New Zealand pampas grass, Early pampas grass, Toetoe, Cortaderia richardii.

Identification

  • A perennial grass that grows in tussocks.
  • Plants are about 3 to 6 metres tall.
  • Its plume-like flower heads have silky hairs associated with the florets.
  • Seeds are about 2 millimetres long and are readily dispersed by wind.
  • Flowering in Australia is reported from November to January.

Where it grows

In Australia it occurs in Tasmania, including roadsides, drainage lines, streambanks, shrublands and other wet areas.

Why it matters

  • It competes with and excludes native vegetation.
  • It has invaded swamplands and moorlands and is a concern at a World Heritage Area in southwestern Tasmania.
  • It is reported to clog drains and choke waterways.
  • It is considered a weed in natural, roadside and production settings in Tasmania.

How it spreads

  • Seeds are readily dispersed by wind, and the plant also produces rhizomes.
  • It spreads in garden waste.
  • Its inflorescences are used in dried floral arrangements, which may provide another way for seeds to move.

Control options

  • A Tasmanian campaign aimed to eradicate or contain infestations and educate people, depending on the local situation.
  • Authorities targeted plant spread on government-controlled road easements and encouraged private landowners to remove plants from gardens.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Do not dump garden waste outdoors, as the species is reported to spread in garden waste.
  • Avoid moving seed-bearing plumes or plant material, since seeds disperse by wind and the inflorescences are used in dried arrangements.
  • 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: Not prohibited or restricted. Not listed as prohibited or restricted matter in Queensland. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: Not a priority weed. Not a state or regional priority weed in NSW. 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: Declared plant. Depending on the declaration, it can be an offence to move it on public roads or sell it, and landowners may be required to control it on their land.
  • Western Australia: Not listed. Not found in the Western Australian Organism List. Check with DPIRD before moving or keeping it.
  • Tasmania: Declared weed. Property managers are required by law to control declared weeds, and their import and sale are prohibited.
  • 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.

  • Tasmania: Biosecurity Act 2019 (Tas), administered by Biosecurity Tasmania

Sources