NSW planted bitou bush to stabilise dunes; it now threatens native ecosystems across 46% of coast

Representative Image (AI-generated) A plant introduced with a practical purpose along the New South Wales (NSW) coast eventually became a major environmental weed. South African bitou bush was deliberately planted along the NSW coastline between 1946 and 1968 to help stabilise sand dunes, according to the NSW Environment and Heritage department. The fast-growing shrub later spread rapidly and is now found along 46% of the state's coastline, with some infestations extending up to 10 kilometres inland. What was once used to control shifting sand has since become a threat to native coastal vegetation and wildlife, prompting long-running efforts to contain and remove it.A plant brought in to stabilise dunesBitou bush, scientifically known as Chrysanthemoides monilifera subsp. rotundata, is native to South Africa. NSW Environment and Heritage says it is thought to have initially reached Australia in ship ballast before later being deliberately used for dune stabilisation. Its deliberate planting along the NSW coast began in 1946 and continued through 1968. The plant was valued because it grew quickly and could help hold loose coastal sand in place. Historical government documents also r...