In June 2017, Cape York Weeds & Feral Animals were successful in obtaining conservation funding under Round One of the Community Sustainability Action grant program. The Department of Environment and Science, Cape York Weeds & Feral Animals Incorporated, and the Landholder are to be commended for their professionalism and willingness to get the job done. This has been possible with the help of the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection.

• Thunbergia grandiflora, classified as a "Level 1" weed, has the potential to greatly expand its distribution within a suitable habitat, in this case rainforest areas. 
• Both locations, Rossville and Bloomfield, consist of, and are encircled by tropical rainforest.
• As far as we can ascertain from extensive survey work that has been conducted throughout Cape York Peninsula over a 25-year period, the thunbergia only seems to occur in these two known areas.
• These locations are also adjacent to the World Heritage Wet Tropics Area and have no physical impediment to prevent transition to these areas if left unchecked. 
• This vine has the ability to easily reach the canopy of mature rainforest vegetation. 
• It will kill palm trees by binding the crown, smothering other trees, and causing extensive branch breaking and tree fall under the weight of the dense vine mass. 
• The result of an infestation of thunbergia on rainforest areas is a greatly altered forest structure with vulnerable vegetation being eliminated. This will also have a negative impact on fauna which are dependent on the natural rainforest habitat. 
• Most importantly control work will prevent this destructive weed from establishing in this part of the World Heritage Wet Tropics rainforest – if we are not too late. 
• Thunbergia grandiflora classified as a "Level 1" weed as Restricted Matter Category 1 under Biosecurity Act 2014.
• The Thunbergia control program began on 14 August 2017. 
• After reporting in October, we then commenced the follow up work as and when we could get to the areas, and when we could successfully control any regrowth or new growth.
• This next lot of follow up control work was reported on in April 2018.
• Our latest lot of follow up work commenced on 21/05/2018.
• Accessed the locations at Wyalla gardens, Bloomfield and continued the control work with the help of CYWAFA_INC.
• We accessed the Thunbergia infestation site at Rossville and effectivly treated the remaining Thunbergia with herbicide. 
• The area of follow-up control was nearly non existant, considering the original extent surveyed.
• Control work was conducted over 12-man days during the follow up control work, including in-kind work from Cape York Weeds and Feral Animals Incorporated.
• Liaised with the local landholders, on which these two infestations were located, within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Areas. 
• They had also completed work on the regrowth that they were able to find.
• All stakeholders were keen to fulfil their obligations under the Biosecurity Act.
• The Thunbergia was re-surveyed, and we found that we have been very successful in getting rid of all the mature vines within these two rainforest sites.
• The Thunbergia has been successfully controlled, amongst these rainforest canopies
• The efficient control program has allowed a lot of the native species to recover, especially during our recent wet season.
• As this last follow-up survey was conducted before we get our final payment, we are very confident that we have controlled all the remaining Thunbergia vines at both locations.
• We have significantly reduced the Thunbergia’s potential to spread further along the river and gully systems.
• With the Thunbergia no longer there, vehicles, humans and stock will not be able to spread it.
• CYWAFA_ INC has developed a comprehensive Strategic Control Plan.
• The infestation at Whyalla began on the edge of a cleared area and extends into the adjacent rainforest and across a small stream. A secondary infestation was also discovered further down the stream where the driveway crossed. A preliminary survey of the stream did not locate any more plants, but a more extensive search has been conducted. Nothing has been found.
• The infestation was treated by exposing the underground tubers and stem injecting bio-degradable herbicide into them as well as stem injection into the stems. 
• The landholders were very supportive of working in partnership. 
• At the location in Rossville both landholders had done a considerable amount of control work on the infestation since the initial consultation. 
• One of the landholders had cut the large vines and regularly applied glyphosate to the new root suckers. 
• The other landholder had used a foliar spray and then fire to reduce the quantity of sprawling vine which had been spreading across some undeveloped area and steep banks. 
• At both locations, no regrowth had been seen. 
• Only time will tell if tubers and stems have been missed, which is inevitable due to the dense viny thickets. 
• This highlights the benefits of doing the job effectively, as well as the value and importance of follow up treatment. 
• Other weeds species controlled includes Singapore Daisy, Sicklepod, Guinea Grass etc.
• Conducted a tool box talk and carried out a risk assessment before any follow-up control work was commenced.
• Peripheral areas such as the wider community of Rossville and the areas adjacent to the Whyalla Gardens property were surveyed again, with no Thunbergia being found. 
• Over six hectares of strategic survey and control was carried out, including the opening up of the undergrowth so we could get at the Thunbergia.
• Even though there was only 0.4 ha of control work has been mapped, we had to cover a lot of area to follow the vine back to where they were growing from.
• As the areas were thick rainforest, we controlled what we could find.
• There was as far greater area surveyed (9-11 ha) to see if we could find out if it had spread.
• All areas of control work were mapped using the GIS and QGIS systems. 
• All reports been sent to the Department of Environment and Science.
• The data and herbicide usage sheets were also completed. 
• Cape York Weeds and Feral Animals Incorporated spent as much time as possible controlling all trafficked areas, watering points, and high conservation areas. 
• Hopefully follow-up control on regrowth, if any needs to be, will be done by the landholders. 
• Cape York Weeds and Feral Animal Incorporated will keep an eye on it and try to keep the areas clean, if resources are available.
• Cape York Weeds and Feral Animals Incorporated are extremely proud of the efforts that have been undertaken in getting rid of the Thunbergia in both areas of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.

The Strategic Thunbergia Control Program, funded through Round One-Community Sustainability Actions grants, was conducted extremely successfully.