Feral animal prevention and control program

Council has resolved to conduct a biosecurity program - feral animal prevention and control program (PDF, 249KB) in accordance with section 235 of the Biosecurity Act 2014, within the whole of the Sunshine Coast local government area.

This biosecurity program commenced 12 September 2022 and continue until 11 September 2025.

The purpose and scope for the program is:

1. preventing the entry, establishment or spread of wild dogs (dog, other than a domestic dog, dingo), feral pigs, feral goats, feral cats, feral deer, European foxes and European rabbits in an area that poses a significant biosecurity risk
2. managing, reducing or eradicating any wild dogs (dog, other than a domestic dog, dingo), feral pigs, feral goats, feral cats, feral deer, European foxes and European rabbits in an area that could pose a significant environmental biosecurity risk.

The program will apply to properties within the Sunshine Coast Council local government area whereby:

1. the occupier of a property requests assistance to address invasive biosecurity matter - invasive animals - prohibited or restricted matter
2. council has been alerted to a property from information collected that invasive biosecurity matter - invasive animals - prohibited or restricted matter are present or likely to be present
3. they are owned or under the control of council or the occupier of a property is undertaking primary production or located in the vicinity of primary production
4. properties that are privately owned.

Powers of authorised officers

Authorised persons are directed to act under the program to assist in the management of invasive biosecurity matter - invasive animals that are prohibited or restricted matter:

• provide information and education to an occupier of a place
• undertake property assessments to determine the travel routes or harbourage areas of the feral animals being targeted in the program
• collect information from occupiers of properties to inform the program to maximise its functioning
• establish monitoring cameras, sand pads or other animal detection devices on a property to determine the presence of roaming domestic animals or feral animals
• install traps and or deploy poisons in line with regulatory controls including humane destruction
• install warning signage on the property to alert the public to the actions being conducted
• visit the property at varying hours to attend to traps and other devices
• visit the property at varying hours to undertake removal/destruction of feral animals in line with regulatory controls and humane destruction
• undertake the use of firearms for feral animal destruction purposes within the regulatory controls
• engage a veterinarian for animal care or destruction purposes where required.

Obligation imposed on a person under the program

The following obligations may be imposed on a person who is an occupier of a place to which the program relates:

• allow council's authorised persons (council officers) access to their property to monitor for the presence of invasive biosecurity matter - invasive animals that are prohibited or restricted matter
• allow council to take invasive biosecurity matter - invasive animals that are prohibited or restricted matter samples for further analysis
• the person must not interfere with access by council's authorised persons (council officers)
• the person must provide reasonable help when requested by council's authorised persons (council officers) during the property inspection/s
• a copy of the biosecurity program is available for inspection during the period of the program at council's customer service centres.

A copy of the 12 September 2022 to 11 September 2025 program can be viewed in the minutes of council's Ordinary Meeting of 25 August 2022.

For more information please contact council.