The temperature is generally warm and the humidity high where we had our bush block . It was however a lovely place with the native bush harbouring innumerable birds and of course the native fauna was rife -- kangaroos , wallabies , and others of the wonderful Oz creatures Unfortunately the scourge of the coastal Australian bush -- the lantana vine -- was also rife Therefore , armed with mattock and brushcutter I thought it time to remove some of it . Unless it is very old and very large , a single lantana bush is not always that hard to remove , as one can simply break the surface roots on one side , bend the bush in the opposite direction and heave mightily . There are those who advocate bulldozing by a machine with a ripper , but these methods do not remove the sum total of the roots , and if a single root is missed , the lantana takes it as a permission for even more luxuriant growth. Besides , it is great exercise ! Good hard wearing farm clothing is a necessity , including boots and gloves . This presents an immediate problem in the heat and humidity , of course . Nevertheless , I decided to try my hand at the south eastern corner of the block , next to a neighbour's fence and at right angles to the ridge road that passed the property . By the time I had removed several bushes I was a very sweaty labourer , and the luxuriant beard that I was then sporting had begun to send rivulets of sweat down my chest . I had by now developed what seemed to be a good technique . First I would back in towards the main stem , pushing aside the long thin branches that immediately folded back around me , then , leaning back towards the trunk , I would strike at the roots , including the taproots , and push the bush to an angle , work my way out again and then heave in the direction away from the chop. Very successful , until dealing with one large bush I went through the process as far as the first blow . It was then that I began to feel a burning sensation on any exposed flesh , a burning that began to develop under the layers of clothing. I had disturbed a tree full of fire ants . Not being too careful about saving the clothing I thrashed my way out through the hindering branches -- slapping wildly at the swarming ants . Not good enough ! They were by now all the way in through the clothing and next to the skin-- so it was strip or be eaten I have often wondered what those few residents of Dondingalong in their passing cars thought of the naked , bearded , dancing madman at the edge of the bush .