Reducing Fire Risk Through Smarter Weed Control Murray River Council's Esplanade Journey

For regional councils managing vast road networks, finding smarter, safer and more sustainable ways to control weeds is an ongoing challenge. Oasis Turf, a trusted leader in professional vegetation management solutions, has been working closely with councils across Australia to adopt more proactive, long-lasting vegetation management strategies. Murray River Council is an excellent example of this partnership in action.

Through close collaboration with Oasis Turf and Envu, Murray River Council is setting a new benchmark for sustainable roadside vegetation management.

Managing vegetation across 11,000 square kilometres of southern New South Wales is no small task. Responsible for roadsides and open spaces across seven towns and nine villages along the Murray River, the Council has long battled the balance between aesthetics, safety and cost.

Traditionally, roadside maintenance relied heavily on regular slashing and brush-cutting to manage regrowth. While effective in the short term, these reactive methods come with a heavy price tag in labour, contractor costs and machinery time. They also pose safety risks during peak fire seasons, with tall, dry grass increasing fuel loads along key transport routes.

A Partnership for Progress

Recognising the inefficiencies of their existing approach, Murray River Council began exploring long-term solutions that could reduce maintenance burden and improve safety. In 2020, this search led them to Oasis Turf, whose local knowledge and technical expertise helped guide the Council toward a more proactive strategy. Oasis Turf introduced the Council to Esplanade^® 500 SC Herbicide (Indaziflam)- an innovative pre-emergent herbicide designed to deliver long-lasting residual control of annual weeds at low use rates.

This partnership combined Envu’s technical expertise, Oasis Turf’s deep understanding of local vegetation pressures, and the Council’s on-ground experience. Together they explored how a pre-emergent approach using Esplanade could break the traditional cycle of constant slashing and reactive spraying.

At first, the Council team was sceptical that such a small amount of herbicide could deliver the level of control needed. It wasn’t until they saw the results firsthand that they recognised the potential for a completely new way of managing roadside weeds.

Esplanade Implementation

The Council began applying Esplanade strategically across high-priority areas - major roads, bike paths and hard-to-maintain sections that were previously costly and time-consuming to manage. By pairing Esplanade with a knockdown herbicide, they achieved both immediate and long-term control, preventing weed germination for up to 8–12 months.

Results and Impact

The improvements were evident within the first year.

- Maintenance cycles reduced significantly- fewer slashing and spraying rounds meant major savings in labour and contractor expenditure.
- With less regrowth, roadside corridors became cleaner, safer and more consistent, reducing fire risk and improving overall presentation.
- Community feedback was positive, especially from cyclists and walkers who previously battled tough weeds causing flat tyres and sore feet.

Maintenance crews also noted operational benefits. Grader operators reported easier road maintenance with less vegetation to move, reducing the spread of weeds and saving machine time. Longer-lasting control also gave teams flexibility - no longer forced into September’s notoriously windy conditions, the Council could now complete spraying in a single spring round instead of two or three.

“Esplanade has allowed us to save so much time on our priority weed control, especially on roadside weeds commonly spread by traffic and graders,” says Tim Moodie, Murray River Council. “It’s been dynamite on those weeds. This program has completely changed the way we manage roadsides. There is less regrowth, less maintenance, and a safer network overall.”

Environmental and Operational Benefits

Beyond operational gains, the program delivered strong sustainability outcomes.

- Fewer maintenance cycles meant reduced fuel consumption and lower machinery wear.
- Less regrowth resulted in reduced chemical use over time.
- Minimised soil disturbance supported healthier, more stable roadside environments.

“Partnerships like this show what’s possible when we combine innovative chemistry with local expertise and proactive councils,” says Michael Ogden from Oasis Turf. “It’s a great example of improving safety, efficiency and sustainability all at once.”

A Model for Other Councils

Ongoing stewardship support from Envu and Oasis Turf has been central to the program’s success. Council staff completed Esplanade Stewardship Training to ensure best-practice application and compliance with safety standards.

Encouraged by the results, Murray River Council is now exploring opportunities to expand the program across other assets and neighbouring shires.

This initiative stands as a model of how collaboration, innovation and sustainability can come together to transform roadside vegetation management, keeping communities safer while making better use of limited resources.

Watch this video to view highlights from the collaboration.

To learn more, reach out to our team or visit the Esplanade Resource Centre to learn how to use Esplanade safely, effectively and responsibly.

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