Premier concedes ‘tough’ shot-hole borer battle ahead as Kings Park trail closes

Premier Roger Cook has conceded Western Australia’s mammoth biosecurity operation to eradicate the polyphagous shot-hole borer will be a “tough battle” amid revelations new tree removals would force the closure of a Kings Park’s walking trail.

On Monday, the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority confirmed the popular Lovers Walk would be permanently closed as biosecurity personnel embarked on a second bout of tree removals at the Mount Eliza escarpment.

The three-week-long removal process between Kennedy Fountain and Mounts Bay Road is expected to impact the stability of the escarpment, necessitating the permanent closure of the walkway.

The trail was temporarily closed back in August for the first stage of tree removals after the state’s surveillance process uncovered signs of the invasive pest.

On Tuesday, Cook said both the state and federal governments were devoting significant funding and resources to tackling the pest, but its eradication was going to be a “tough battle”.

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“Shot-hole borer obviously represents a significant risk to our fauna in Western Australia, particularly our exotic fauna,” he said.

“Places like Kings Park, where you have a wide variety of species on display there, it’s a vulnerable, vulnerable part of our bush land — that’s why we’re throwing everything at it, and I want to commend the department for the work they’re doing.

“But this is going to be a tough battle, and it’s about engaging departments right across the country and working with the federal government on a national approach to make sure that we can contain and eliminate shot-hole borer in WA.”