All Four milestones were completed in one trip from the 22/10/18 til 29/10/18, by Cape York Weeds and Feral Animals Incorporated (CYWAFA_INC ), in partnership with Mitchell River Watershed Management Group (MRWMG).

• We had limited resources available due to funding constraints.

• The objectives of the control work project were accomplished satisfactorily with no incidences occurring or technical difficulties encountered.

• After completing an on-ground survey, the bellyache bush in the Palmer River was not found to exist above the crossing at Yambo station homestead.

• This road has long been the containment line to halt the spread of Bellyache Bush back upstream.

• The actual start of the infestation is in the same location. This has not changed, despite only landholder work being done intermittently since 2015. During that time the landholder has been crook with cancer.

• The Bellyache Bush infestation extends from the Palmer River crossing at Yambo station to beyond King Junction Station towards Chillagoe, in the Mitchell River Catchment.

• The Infestations seem to be mostly restricted to the flood way of the Palmer River including as far as the flood debris is pushed up tributary gullies.

• Although the incursions have pushed up to the tops of the river banks, they were not found to extend much distance off into the bush.

• However, in a few places some small patches were found a little distance from the river, but this seemed to be due to mine workings.

• Many of the non-wooded river flats were under dense and expansive infestation, most of the gully mouths harboured patches, and scattered plants existed in much of the area in between.

• Traveled to camp at Palmer River and re-commenced work.

• Due to the fact the Palmer River country had been burnt black, the Bellyache Bush was easy to get to.

• Basal barking control techniques were extensively used, once the control area survey had been completed.

• The control methods were very effective, especially on the Bellyache bush patches with one or two leaves on them.

• Mapped and photographed everything we controlled.

• All mapping data and photos were transferred to CYWAFA_INC Database and sent to the Mitchell River Watershed Management Group.

• The team has moved into newer areas.

• All areas of the river, at the start of the infestation, have been surveyed and controlled, including the in and out of the riverbed.

• Because control work has not been done for several years, a lot of the bellyache bush has been found in areas, regrowing, where it was not found previously.

• Because we had limited time on the ground, we have covered as far as 5.9 km down the river from the start.

• The river is still reasonably clean along most of the surveyed areas.

• The extensive ground survey has enabled us to refresh our knowledge of where the infestation starts, finishes, and whether it has spread rapidly or not.

• It certainly has not moved.

• Because of what we found out last trip, we have been able to clean up the regrowth areas and to move on to newer areas very quickly.

• The control techniques have allowed to be thorough and to get all the plants.

• We are continuing the good work that has achieved good results in the past.

• Managed to find areas that had been missed and cleaned them up.

• Positive reports from the landholders on our control efforts.

• Basal barking control was very time consuming as there wasn’t enough leaf on some of the plants to foliar spray at the end of October. This limits our ability to control great areas of bellyache bush quickly and efficiently

• The Bellyaches Bush is becoming more water stressed and as a result the chemical will take a longer time to work.

The CYWAFA_INC, and Mitchell River Watershed Management Group are to be commended on their willingness to work together and to achieve as much on the ground control work as possible.