Gamba grass infestation threatens to destroy Litchfield National Park

About 30 per cent of Litchfield National Park could be overrun with gamba grass within a decade if urgent action isn’t taken. See the risk it poses to the Northern Territory.

An invasive “alien” species is threatening to topple the crown jewel of Northern Territory parks.

Without urgent action against gamba grass, the tourism and biodiversity assets of Litchfield could be destroyed – researchers expect 30 per cent of the park to be overrun by the weed in the next decade.

Litchfield Regional Tourism Association chair Paul McLaughlin said gamba grass threatened some of the Territory’s most iconic destinations, beloved by tourists and locals alike.

“The ongoing loss of the natural environment and native flora and fauna in gamba-infested areas is having an enormous financial impact on the Northern Territory,” he said.

“If we don’t combat gamba now and work to reduce dry season fires, I fear we won’t have an environment in Litchfield Park left for tourists to visit and enjoy.”

Gamba grass is highly flammable and poses a bushfire threat to the environment.

Charles Darwin University ecologist Dr Natalie Rossiter-Rachor – who was the lead author of the research – said it was critical to take management action against gamba grass urgently.

“The longer we wait to fund intensive management action, the more expensive it will become and the more impacts we’ll see to the park’s incredible biodiversity and stunning natural areas,” she said.

Of three management plans examined by Rossiter-Rachor and her fellow researchers, just one would keep gamba grass away from most major tourist attractions.

Study co-author professor Samantha Setterfield said the solution could cost $6.6m over five years, but would target a larger area of the park.

Left: Distribution of gamba grass across Litchfield. Right: Proposed gamba grass eradication zones in Litchfield.

The alternative solutions the researchers examined included a “do-nothing scenario” or eradicating a small section of the gamba grass infestation on Tabletop Range, costing about $825,000 over five years.

Targeting Tabletop Range would not protect sites such as Florence Falls and Tolmer Falls.

Gamba Grass Roots campaigner Pauline Cass said efforts to protect the park were dependent on the NT Government’s ability to drive long-term reductions.

“Researchers have established a clear baseline of what’s needed, but we know that significantly increased resources and action will be needed to get Gamba under control – that work needs to start now.”