An automatic weed washdown facility has been officially opened in Collinsville by Cr Michelle Wright of Whitsunday Regional Council.
The facility, located at the Scottville waste transfer station, is suitable for 4WDs, and is available for anybody to use free of charge. Sensors turn on the water spray automatically once a vehicle enters the pad, and the wash lasts one minute.
LDC project manager Georg Wandrag said the facility was an example of NQ Dry Tropics and WRC collaborating to tackle biosecurity issues in the Collinsville and Bowen region.
"Reducing the spread of weeds, including weed seeds, is vital to good regional biosecurity practice," Mr Wandrag said.
"It's the most successful and cost-effective type of weed management because once a weed has become established, high costs can often make eradication possible.
"Preventing weed spread is everybody's business which is why I encourage everyone who is travelling the region's network of rural roads to make use of this excellent facility. That includes utility, contracting and mine companies, council and landholders," he said.
Mr Wandrang said the LDC project had also hosted 'nspect and clean machinery for plant animal and soil material' accredited training workshops for local contractors and landholders over the past two years, to ensure everyone who worked in the region was working towards the same standard of practice to keep vehicles, machinery and plant clean.
The washdown facility was funded through the Queensland Environment Department Reef Water Quality Program.
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