Users feedback has paved the way for a major redesign of the weeds pages on the NSW Department of Primary Industries’ (DPI) website, making it easier to find relevant and up-to-date information about weeds.

The changes are part of a plan to transform the weeds pages into a one-stop-shop for all matters about weeds in NSW.

NSW DPI weeds communication officer, Annette McCaffery, said past visitors to the site would be pleasantly surprised.

"NSW DPI is the lead agency for weeds in NSW and we want the public to preferentially come to our website where they can be directed to the most appropriate place," Ms McCaffery said.

"We recognise there are other organisations involved in weed management but their roles sometimes change and it is difficult for an individual to keep track of this.

"Past users of the website indicated that our site was difficult to find and navigate, making it time-consuming to find relevant information.

"We’ve listened to those comments and now it’s more user-friendly, with information displayed under sub-headings on the front page.

"And you get there by logging directly onto the page, instead of navigating through the department’s website."

Ms McCaffery said the new weeds pages had several new functions but also retained many of the old ones.

"The most significant change is the inclusion of weed profiles for a wide variety of agricultural, noxious and environmental weeds," she said.

"Accessing a weed profile will display links to all the relevant information on one page including its declaration status and a complete list of available information sources, so it is easier to find what you are looking for.

"Often there’s confusion about the definitions of weeds and who is responsible for their control, so we’ve included a brief explanation of each type of weed classification and a comprehensive set of frequently asked questions (FAQs).

"This is supported by the inclusion of contact details of relevant people for various weed issues that members of the public may be dealing with."

Schools programs, training opportunities and new DPI projects also feature in the new and improved site, rounding it out as a comprehensive source of weeds information.

The site, www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/weeds will be developed further over time.

Contact Annette McCaffery, Orange, (02) 6391 3820.