Over the course of a few months, 26 lives were lost, 2,448 homes were destroyed and 5.5 million hectares (ha) of land was burnt.

The impact on NSW communities, farmers, local businesses, wildlife and bushland is still being felt.

The fires also left large areas of native vegetation burnt, giving weeds an opportunity to take hold and spread.

North Coast Local Land Services are still working hard to help land managers get back on their feet.

The North Coast Regional Strategic Weed Management Plan 2017-2022 outlines the priority weeds and their management requirements in the North Coast region, and is supported by the recently published Weeds of the North Coast of NSW: A guide to identification and control.

Local government partners include Bellingen, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Kempsey, Nambucca Valley and Rous County Councils.

Landcare Network partners include Border Ranges Richmond Valley, Bellinger, Clarence, Richmond and Tweed Landcare Networks and Wilsons Creek Huonbrook Landcare.

If you would like further information on Regional Weed Programs, don't hesitate to contact the Regional Weeds Coordinator Brendan O'Brien on 0429815135.

Alternatively, contact your local Council Weeds Officer for information on local projects.

"Weeds are a significant challenge in the North Coast," Louise Orr, General Manager of North Coast Local Land Services said.

"With the bushfires leaving large areas of native vegetation burnt, weeds have had even more opportunity to take hold and spread.

"So helping landholders to manage these weeds has been a high priority for us.

"Since late last year, we have been working with Councils and Landcare Networks to deliver on-ground weed control."

Properties were selected through competitive grant rounds and then targeted based on their risk of spreading priority weeds into high-risk pathways.

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