Background

This Notification of Pesticide Use was prepared in accordance with the Lord Howe Island Pesticide Use Notification Plan 2023 (PUNP), which is required under the Pesticides Regulation 2017. The PUNP sets out how the Lord Howe Island Board (LHIB) will notify members of the community of pesticide applications it makes or allows to be made to public places that it owns or controls. This includes two householders per year to notify the public which pesticides the LHIB may use.

The aim of this notification is to meet the community’s general right to know about pesticide applications made to outdoor public places that are owned or controlled by public authorities. This allows members of the community to act to avoid contact with pesticides if they wish. The LHIB ensures that pesticides are applied to public places in a safe, responsible manner, minimising harm to the community and the environment.

Pesticide use by the LHIB

The LHIB uses pesticides in public places only when necessary to:

• eliminate weeds, invertebrate and vertebrate pests,
• protect public places and LHIB built and environmental assets from pest damage,
• protect and enhance the Island’s World Heritage values, and
• protect the users of public places from nuisance and danger.

The majority of pesticides used by the LHIB consist of applying herbicides for weed control, insecticides for insect control, placing rodenticides in locked bait stations in the case of a rodent incursion and applying fungicides to treat Phytophthora and Myrtle Rust.

LHIB pest and weed management programs aim to use best practice techniques; that is, methods that are target-specific, humane, and cost-effective. This often requires an integration of a range of control methods.

Pesticides may be applied in various locations, including: Playground and Oval; picnic areas; vacant Crown Land within the Settlement area; road verges and reserves; Windy Point footpath; airport grounds and airstrip; the former powerhouse grounds and surrounding buildings; the Community Hall grounds; Post Office grounds; Hospital grounds; satellite dish grounds; jetty buildings; lagoon foreshore; LHIB residences; LHI Cemetery; PPP boundaries and fence lines, LHIB reforestation areas. Weed eradication works will be undertaken throughout the settlement, the PPP, Transit Hill, Stevens Reserve and other crown reserves and roadsides/revegetation areas; working up to and including track edges.

Pesticide use notification in public areas

The PUNP sets out how the LHIB will notify members of the community of pesticide applications made by the LHIB to public places that it owns or controls.

Outdoor recreation areas, cemetery, roads and public easements

• Signs will be displayed in the general treatment area or main entrance immediately prior to pesticide use and will remain in place at least until the product has dried.
• Where the pesticide label, permit or Pesticide Control Order requires a longer period of signage, this will be followed.

Sensitive areas

These include the school or pre-school, hospital, playground, or any other place declared to be a sensitive place by the Environment Protection Authority.

• The LHIB aims to minimise pesticide use in these areas where possible.
• Signs will be displayed in the general application area or main entrance 24 hours prior to and 24 hours after pesticide application.
• Information on the forward program for broad scale and/or spot herbicide use will be published on the LHIB website or distributed via Householder at least 24 hours prior to use, and the occupiers of buildings within 20 metres of sensitive places will be provided with 24 hours’ prior notice via telephone, email or fax (whichever is most practicable).

Emergency pesticide applications

• Where possible, notice will be provided immediately before use to occupiers of any residences within approximately 20 metres of the emergency pesticide application or sensitive place, by telephone or door-knock.
• If not practicable, signs will be placed nearby at the time of application.

If this is not possible, information will be available from the LHIB administration office on 02 6563 2066 or from the person applying the pesticide on site, if requested.

Products and active constituents that may be used

Foliar spray

Clear Up Bio: Glyphosate 360g/L; Fusillade: Fluazifop-p (butyl ester) 28g/L; Associate: Metsulfuron Methyl 600g/kg; Metmac 600: Metsulfuron Methyl 600g/kg; Spearhead: Clopyralid 20g/L, Diflufenican 15g/L, MCPA 300g/L; Apparent Ravage: 340g/L MCPA (Dimethylamine Salt) 80g/L DICAMBA; Apparent Salvo 212: Fluazifop-p 212g/L; Sierraron G: Di-chlobenil 67.5g/kg; Starane: Fluroxypr 333g/L + diesel; Apparent Paraffinic Oil Adjuvant: Paraffinic oil 582g/L; Nonyl Phenol Ethoxylate 120g/L; Alcohol Ethoxylate 120g/L; Apparent Wetter 1000: Nonionic Ethoxylates 1000g/L; Apparent Devour 1020 Penetrant: Polyether Modified Polysiloxane 1020g/L; Bigfoot Blue Spray Colourant: Sulphonated Aromatic Dye 93g/L; Protec Plus Spray Adjuvant: Esterified canola oil 700g/L and non-ionic surfactants; Bioweed Organic Herbicide Concentrate: Pine Oil – Terpene alcohols and saponified fatty acids; Grazon Extra: Triclopyr 300g/L, Picloram 100g/L, Aminopyralid 8g/L.

Cut and paint application

Clear Up Bio: Glyphosate 360g/L; Associate: Metsulfuron Methyl 600g/kg; Safari (Garlon): Tri-clopyr 600g/L; Vigilant II Herbicide Gel: Aminopyralid 4.47g/L, Picloram 44.7g/L.

Control of the African Big Headed Ant (Pheidole magacephala)

Amdro: Hydramethylnon 7.3g/kg; Distance Plus: Pyriproxyfen 5g/kg; Advion Ant Gel: Indoxacarb 0.5g/kg; Vanquish ant bait: Fipronil 0.06g/kg; Maxforce Quantum: Imidacloprid 0.3g/L.

Control of insect pests of turf, lawns, plantings and buildings

Chaindrite Bouncer 100SC: Bifenthrin 100g/L; Tempo SC Ultra: Beta-cyfluthrin 11.8%; Advian Cockroach Gel: Indoxacarb 6g/L; Yates Success: Spinetoran 5g/L.

Rodent monitoring stations

Roban blocks: Difenacoum 0.05g/kg (with Denatonium Benzoate as bittering agent).

Rodent eradication (emergency use only)

Bainbridge bait blocks: Brodifacoum 0.005%.

Treatment of Phytophthora cinnamomi

Medley 50G Systemic granular fungicide: Metalaxyl 50g/kg.

Emergency treatment of Myrtle Rust

Amistar / Mirador 250 SC: Azoxystrobin 250g/L; Amistar WG: Azoxystrobin 500g/kg; Bayfidan 250 EC: Triadimenol 250g/L; Saprol: Triforine 190g/L; Tilt 250 EC: Propiconazole 250g/L; Tombstone Duo: Tebuconazole 200g/L and Trifloxystrobin 100g/L.

Contact

For further information, please contact Krissy Ward, Senior Manager Environment, or Brad Josephs, Senior Manager Infrastructure and Engineering, on 02 6563 2066.

Yours sincerely,

Suzie Christensen
Chief Executive Officer
Date: 23 October 2025