There’s one question I get asked more than any other and it’s whether there’s any truth in the very longstanding rumour that Georgiana Molloy is responsible for the Arum infestation we have in southwest WA.

I’m sometimes told it’s ‘a historical fact’ but I’ve never found one piece of evidence to uphold it in fifteen years of research.  My own view is that, rather than keeping a focus on blame, we should use our energy and resources in trying to combat the spread of these invasive plants that cause devastation for our native species. Even so, after recently finding another item that adds to the historical jigsaw of the Arum story, and being told once again that Mrs Molloy was to blame, I decided it was time to offer my own research in a public forum.

Here’s a link to a short clip from this year’s annual “Georgiana Molloy lecture” in Augusta. I was talking about the early days of the settlement and this is the section where I shared what I’ve found out so far about the introduction of the Arum into the southwest.

ERGA Georgiana Molloy Lecture  2019