FOBSI – North Barker battles boxthorn on Mt Chappell Island
North Barker are proud to support the Friends of the Bass Strait Islands (FOBSI) Wildcare group, to which, through our relationship with Karen Ziegler, we have offered various degrees of in kind assistance over the years, mainly with desktop tasks (e.g. GIS mapping and data management). In July 2023 we stepped up this support with personnel on the ground, sending a dedicated team of North Barker staff and associates out on an exciting nine-day long expedition to Mt Chappell Island (aka Hummocky) – paid by the company and offered as free support of FOBSI, it’s an example of when ecological consulting can be used to pay it back to nature and community groups.
Located off Tasmania’s northeast coast, the island is managed by Traditional Owners from the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAC). Though being most famous for its supersized tiger snakes (Notechis ater serventyi), the island unfortunately also boasts supersized thickets of African boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum), a declared weed in Tasmania (also a Weed of National Significance [WONS]), which poses a large threat to various ecosystems if left uncontrolled.
On Mt Chappell, boxthorn has crowded out many natives, including impressive coastal paper daisies – it’s also highly obstructive to seabirds, blocking burrows of little penguins (Eudyptula minor) and ensnaring migratory shearwaters, which once bred in their hundreds of thousands on the island.
So, with that in mind, FOBSI and our team had one clear mission: to battle the boxthorn. Braving harsh winds and remote conditions, the team removed boxthorn from the steep slopes and hard to reach places that TAC Rangers’ machinery couldn’t get to. The trip not only marked a continued step in ongoing weed management on the island, but also deepened our connections with the land and its cultural heritage, and opened the door for future NBES participants to aid the TAC Rangers mission of restoring Mt Chappell.
With company supported participants returning in August 2024 and 2025, the North Barker team are continuing to support FOBSI and the Rangers with their vital work with renewed momentum and refined strategies. With each boxthorn removed, native species are finding more space to thrive, reinforcing the long-term vision of ecological restoration. Our specialist input has also helped identify previously unknown infestations of mirror bush (Coprosma repens), a serious environmental weed on Tasmanian islands, which was subsequently targeted with primary weed control.
These trips aren’t just about removing a weed—they are about healing a landscape and honouring the shared commitment to protecting Country for future generations. All of the North Barker team have been grateful for the time to give back and contribute positively to the islands weed management. We are also thankful for the TAC Rangers for sharing the island with us and to Friends of the Bass Strait Island for facilitating the trip and for their long-term efforts, which are rightfully award winning.
