A week-day stroll along the popular Forster track, Frewins Walk, will be off the cards for 'a while' while bush regeneration contractors access nearby cliffs to treat environmental weeds.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Weather permitting, the walk will be closed from Monday, May 17 week-days from 7am-3pm until the work is completed.
While closures will be timed where possible to avoid peak use periods, the walkways must be closed to the public to allow the abseiling contractors to safely access the cliff faces and to limit pedestrian traffic over their anchor points.
"While environmental restoration programs have successfully controlled many coastal weeds over the past decade, environmental weeds have colonised, spread and outcompeted native species on inaccessible parts of our coastal headlands," MidCoast Council sustainability and natural assets co-ordinator, Tanya Cross said.
"While helicopter spraying has been extremely effective to treat large areas along beach dunes, the close proximity of houses meant this method was unsuitable for treating weeds on exposed headlands," Ms Cross said.
While environmental restoration programs have successfully controlled many coastal weeds over the past decade, environmental weeds have colonised, spread and outcompeted native species on inaccessible parts of our coastal headlands.
- Tanya Cross
Council's bush regeneration contractors, Bushland and Rainforest Restoration and Consulting (BARRC), has recently started weed control by abseiling on the exposed cliff faces of Frewins and Second Head in Forster.
"Within the Pebbly Beach section at Frewins Walk, a thin strip of lantana has been intentionally left to provide bank stabilisation.
"The lantana will be progressively removed over time in combination with the replanting of native species to minimise erosion and stabilise the foot of the cliff."
Once these two sites have been completed, the contractors will continue to work south along the cliff face towards Bennetts Head.
Similar abseiling works will also be undertaken at Burgess Beach, Boomerang Head, Black Head and Redhead with funding provided by the environmental rate and matching funding provided through the NSW Bushfire Affected Coastal Waterways Program.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark our website
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter:
- Follow us on Instagram