Weed Controller

Weed controllers work in many different areas in the field of Horticulture and Agriculture. They are employed by members of the private and public sector to help maintain our open spaces, sporting fields, natural environment, farm lands and private residences. A variety of equipment is used to apply herbicides to control unwanted plants in the environment, and this may involve working in small gardens to controlling weeds on many acres of land.

Where They work

Many public assets such as roadsides, parks, environmental reserves and sporting fields need trained people to maintain these landscapes. As part of this maintenance, ongoing weed control is an important part of this schedule. People are usually employed by authorities such as local councils or employed by contractors to carry out this work. Most of this work is carried out by using equipment which distributes herbicides onto the unwanted plants.

What They Do

Duties may include controllers using backpacks to spot spray weeds in garden areas, to ground spraying large turf areas such as sporting fields with a tractor that have boom sprays attached.
Some areas have a significant noxious weed problem and are posing a threat to agricultural, as some of these weeds are toxic to livestock and interfere with the production of growing and harvesting crops.  

What is Needed

People who can easily identify weeds and what action is required to control them.  It would also be considered a prerequisite that people have a good understanding of the range of agricultural chemicals and herbicides on the market which are used, and the methods and equipment employed to distribute them safely.

Opportunities

Many environmental weeds pose a significant threat, environmentally, economically and socially.  People are needed on the ground to help manage weeds in every part of our community and landscape as they need to be physically identified and controlled. Opportunities can be found in areas associated with forest regeneration, maintaining public open space, urban utility maintenance, private contractors and so on.