The Weed Society of Western Australia (WSWA)was formed in July 1976 by founding members Geoff Pearce, Dr Marcus Blacklow, Alf Humphries and B.Taylor. At this time, all other states in Australia had formed a Weed Society and were affiliated with the Australian Council of Weed Societies (now CAWSS). The main aim of the WSWA was to improve co-operation between different sections of the weed industry, contribute toward government policy and improve education in the wider industry and community on weed management. The inaugural speaker at a WSWA general meeting was K. Burke, sales manager for WA and SA with Ciba-Geigy, to talk about a new herbicide “Roundup”, which was approved for use in eastern Australia, but registration was still pending in WA. The WSWA hosted the first Western Australian Weeds Conference in 1979, with the theme “recent advances in weed control” and invited speakers from interstate.
The WSWA has been active in promoting weed education and research throughout the last 45 years, hosting the following events:
1976 (70 members)
Field excursion to Pingelly and Beverly to admire herbicide trials
1977 (75 members)
Field excursion to Calingiri to view a Hoe 23408 and Wongon Hills field station to see trial control of double gee and minimum till
1978 (membership 106)
Joint publication with the Department of Agriculture Bulletin “Identification and Control of Weeds in Cereals” by Des Gilbey. ISBN 073091335X, https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/720494
Field excursion to Muresk to view minimum till and spray and collection equipment, and visit to Jonlorrrie farm
1979 (membership 120)
State Weeds Conference, Muresk 3-7th September. Opened by the Minster for Agriculture Mr Dick Old. 100 attendees, 2 from overseas, 11 from interstate.
1980
Weed Control Course student program, Muresk Institute
1981
Turf weeds field day
Environmental Weed Symposium, UWA.
1982
“Pesticides people and the environment” seminar at UWA
Field day to Alcoa Australia around Pinjarra to observe mine rehabilitation
Turf weeds field day, 29 November at Woodlands
1983 (membership 143)
Field day to Wongon Hills Research Station
1984 (membership 145)
7th Australian Weeds Conference
1985 (membership[p 66)
Turf weeds field day
1987
Workshop “Economic weed control and decision making” invited speaker Dr Roger Cousens from Long Ashton UK
Seminar Mr Roger Doyle “Spray technology”
Seminar Dr Dick Meld “Grass weeds in crops”
Seminar Government Chemical Laborotories “Analysing pesticide residues”
Tour of Forrestfield offices and Avondale field station for the Technical Committee on Agricultural Chemicals
Tour of Swan Valley Research Station and Lamonts winery
1988
Seminar “New developments in Protection of Horticultural Crops” held at South Perth and Manjimup
Seminar Dr John Caseley “Affects of weather on herbicide application”
Field day to Wongon Hills research station
Turf weeds field day, Collier Park
Inspection of declared plant control work at Lamonts Winery
1989
Field day at Avondale and Beverley
Seminar Treecrop spraying techniques
1990
Seminar UWA, entomologist Dr Peter Davis summarising study tour of US in connection with Argentine Ant control
Seminar Prof. Jonny Gressel from the Weisman Institute, Israel on new adjuvants and synergists
1-day Symposium herbicide resistance
Field trip to Avon Valley to observe herbicide trials, locusts and biological control of patersons curse
1991
Avon Valley Field day
Pesticide handling and disposal seminar, Muresk
PPS Student scholarships program. First recipient Patrick Smith (UWA)
1992 (30 members)
Burn Bury Bash or Recycle Seminar I
State Plant Protection Society Conference
PPS Student scholarship. Recipients Damien Muller (UWA), Martin Anderson (Muresk)
1993
Bushland weeds seminar
Integrated Pest Management Seminar
Burn Bury Bash or Recycle Seminar II
1994 (membership 105)
Sundowner speaker Alec McGibbon “Are models good enough to assist decision makers with regard to predicting pesticide behaviour”
1995
Seminar “Turf, tree establishment and broadacre herbicides”
Commence discussion on the production of Western Weeds
1996 (61 members)
Seminar UWA visiting Danish scientists Per Kudst and Jens Erik Jensen
Plant Protection Society Sundowner
Bulk purchase of text book Biology of Australian Weeds forsale to members at cost
1998
Launch of Western Weeds
B.M.J. Hussey, G.J. Keighery, J. Dodd, S.G. Lloyd and R.D. Cousens, (1998) Western Weeds, A guide to the weeds of Western Australia. 2nd Edition. The Weeds Society of Western Australia (Inc.)
2002
13th Australian Weeds Conference