Gamba Grass

Gamba grass (Andropogon gayanus) was introduced into the NT as a pasture species in 1931. Subsequent research and trials resulted in wide spread plantings in pastoral and agricultural areas of the Top End. Gamba grass has since proved to be highly invasive, as it has adapted extremely well to seasonal droughts, fires and low nutrient soils of the northern savannas.

Gamba grass infestations have now spread extensively across a range of tenure types, where it has demonstrated ability to significantly alter soil-nutrient cycles, water cycles and fire regimes. Many native plant communities and associated ecosystems have become significantly degraded as a result.

Gamba grass is not currently a declared weed in the Territory, but it is being considered for declaration under the Weeds Management Act 2001. The Department of Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts (NRETA) is leading a joint initiative with the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines (DPIFM) and Charles Darwin University (CDU) to develop a Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) system for the NT. Gamba grass is being assessed using this system.

The Weed Management Branch of NRETA continues to promote public awareness of the environmental impacts of gamba grass, as well as ways to identify and manage the grass species.

The Gamba Management Guide is a useful management tool for all Territory land managers who are interested in undertaking management of this species, for the purposes of eradication, prevention of spread or for use as a pasture.

Gamba Management Guide (pdf 472Kb)
Poster (905Kb)

For further enquiries please contact:

Darwin Weeds Management Branch - T: (08) 8999 4567
Katherine Weeds Management Branch - T: (08) 8973 8107


Tall perennial grasslands (jpg 97Kb)	Stems of gamba grass (jpg 50Kb)	Gamba grass seed (jpg 89Kb)	Gamba grass can tolerate seasonal droughts, fires (jpg 121Kb)



High intensity Gamba fire (jpg 26Kb)	Gamba grass (jpg 36Kb)

Weeds in the NT

Gamba Grass

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