Fungus a worry at rifle site

[Guest guest]

Fungus a worry at rifle site

By GLEN BERNOTH

May 11, 2006

http://the.standard.net.au/articles/2006/05/11/1146940649242.html

Warrnambool Standard - Warrnambool,,Australia

Soil believed contaminated with fungi is dumped near Jarvis Road.

Picture: GLEN WATSON

RARE fungus at the Port rifle range which threatens

surrounding flora has been contained to the site, authorities

believe.

A quarantine area has been declared around the range where the

fungus, known as phytophthora cinnamomi (PC), was discovered during

construction of a gas pipeline.

The fungus attacks the roots of some native vegetation and can be

particularly fatal for grasstree species found in the area's coastal

scrubland.

Gas workers are required to wash their boots before entering and

exiting the quarantine area.

Woodside Energy spokeswoman confirmed yesterday the

wheels of any vehicles accessing the site were also being washed and

sprayed with disinfectant.

She said, ironically, Woodside had measures in place to ensure the

fungus was not carried onto sites.

``In this case we did testing and found PC was already there,'' she

said.

``So we had to do the opposite and make sure we didn't take it off

the site.

``It's under control. Measures are in place now and we're working

with the Department of Sustainability and Environment to ensure

everything is right.'' Woodside is laying pipeline directly under

the road to the rifle range to carry gas from

its wells, 70km offshore, to Waarre for processing.

DSE biodiversity officer Steve McDougall said the fungus was found

on the edge of the track.

``You don't see it. It attacks the roots of plants and can be

transported by water, shoes or car tyres,'' he said.

``It can cause death to some native vegetation.''

Mr McDougall said about 3000 cubic metres of dirt being dug out of

the site for the pipeline was being trucked to a private site on

Jarvis Road, about 2km away.

He said it may or may not have the fungus in it, but was being

managed carefully. Once the pipeline was layed it would be trucked

back to the rifle range to fill over the pipeline.

The area would then be chemically treated to further reduce any

threat of spread, he said.

Corangamite Shire manager of strategic planning and environment

Sophie Segafredo said she visited the site yesterday.

She said the council was aware of the potential threat, but was

confident Woodside and the DSE was managing the situation to ensure

it was minimal. ``We're being guided by DSE,'' she said.