Gamba grass (Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries)

Gamba grass

Tools

Accessibility

Skip to:

Primary navigation

Navigation path

Gamba grass
Gamba grass roadside infestation
Gamba grass
Gamba grass roadside infestation
Gamba grass roadside infestation


General information

Gamba grass (Andropogon gayanus) is a perennial tussock grass native to the tropical savannas of Africa. It was imported into Queensland as a pasture grass in 1942 but was not planted on a large scale until about 1983.

While gamba grass can be a useful cattle feed in far north Queensland, it also has significant negative impacts.

Gamba grass is a Class 2 declared plant of Queensland.

Scientific name

Andropogon gayanus
Impacts
  • invades non-grazed parcels of land such as conservation areas, semi-urban residential land and mining leases
  • can replace native grasses thereby reducing natural biodiversity on non-grazed land
  • its high biomass can fuel intense bushfires leading to loss of tree cover and long-term environmental damage
  • high intensity gamba grass fires can pose a threat to human safety and property
Description
  • a perennial tussock grass
  • grows to about 4-4.5 m
Habitat and distribution
  • exists as relatively small populations scattered across Queensland
  • mainly found across Cape York south to the Atherton Tablelands
Declaration details
  • a declared Class 2 species under the Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002
  • control of declared pests is required by landholders
Further information

Rate this page

How useful is the information on this page?

(1=not at all, 5=extremely useful)
Please rate this page (1= not at all, 5= extremely useful)
1
2
3
4
5


(for questions - please use our enquiries form.)

Page maintained by Sonia Jordan
Last updated 22 October 2008

Footer

© The State of Queensland, Primary Industries and Fisheries within the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation 1995-2009.
Copyright protects this material. Except as permitted by the Copyright Act, reproduction by any means (photocopying, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise), making available online, electronic transmission or other publication of this material is prohibited without the prior written permission of The Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, Queensland. Inquiries should be addressed to copyright@dpi.qld.gov.au (Queensland residents phone 13 25 23; non-Queensland residents phone 61 7 3404 6999).