Feral animal prevention and control program

Council has approved a prevention and control program (PDF, 230KB)in accordance with section 235 of the Biosecurity Act 2014, within the whole of the Sunshine Coast region to educate and monitor in relation to invasive biosecurity matter (prohibited or restricted invasive animals). 

The Feral Animal Prevention and Control Program will take place across all properties in the Sunshine Coast Council area, including Council-owned land. This supports the goals of the Sunshine Coast Council Biosecurity Plan 2024, which aims to reduce the agricultural, environmental, social, and economic damage caused by invasive animals in our region.

Sunshine Coast Council has been working with the community for years to manage invasive animals across hundreds of properties.

Priority restricted species include:

• Wild dogs (not domestic dogs)
• Dingoes
• Feral pigs
• Feral cats
• Feral deer
• European foxes
• European rabbits.

These animals can damage the environment, farms, and communities. Council runs this program to meet its legal responsibilities under the Biosecurity Act 2014 and to support landholders.

The program aims to:

• confirm if invasive animals are present on a property
• help landholders understand their biosecurity responsibilities
• decide if a Biosecurity Order is needed when action isn’t taken
• make sure Council meets its own biosecurity obligations
• support landholders to protect pets, livestock, and crops
• find out how widespread invasive animals are
• collect data and research to improve future programs
• Mmasure how well education and treatment programs are working
• use tools like cameras and aerial surveys to detect animals
• use approved traps and baits (like 1080 or PAPP) safely
• provide baits to landholders as apart of approved control programs
• humanely remove invasive animals under animal welfare laws
• use new control methods approved by state or federal authorities an area that could pose a significant environmental biosecurity risk.

The program covers properties in the Sunshine Coast Council area where:

• a resident asks for help with invasive animals
• Council receives reports or finds evidence of priority or prohibited invasive species
• the land is owned or managed by Council.

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. Or a copy of the upcoming program 12 September 2025 to 11 September 2029 program can be viewed here.

For more information please contact council.