As blackberries creep over landscapes, smothering areas with their prickly canes, a non-chemical way of dealing with them is coming back to the fore.
Laurie Reed is best known as a mountain cattleman from the Delegate River region on the New South Wales/Victorian border, and also known as the captain of the Bonang Fire Brigade.
A lesser-known fact is that Laurie has run goats on his farm for many years to help with weed control and vegetation management.
Laurie had traditionally sprayed his blackberries but was frustrated by the regrowth until a chance conversation with Damian Ventry, manager of Gunningrah Station, just north of Bombala.
The conversation around the virtues of goats led to Laurie’s first purchase in 2008 of 200 strong Cashmere does and some Boer-cross bucks from Charlie Maslin, the owner of Gunningrah Station.
The mob’s mission was to deal with a substantial blackberry infestation.

IMAGE: Laurie Reed and Ken Stuart discussing the use of goats in weed control at recent cattle sale in Bairnsdale. INSET: Goats hard at work demolishing blackberries. (PS)