Have your say on the Draft National Feral Deer Action Plan

Australia’s feral deer problem is increasing. Land managers in both rural and urban areas have seen feral deer go from being a novelty to being widespread in many parts of the country. Today, they are found across almost one-quarter of New South Wales and Tasmania, and nearing half of Victoria.

Feral deer impact our agricultural production, environmental and cultural assets, and pose risks to biosecurity and community safety.

The draft National Feral Deer Action Plan is focused on supporting farmers, communities, organisations, Traditional Owners, and government agencies to stop the spread and reduce impacts of feral deer.

The plan prioritises the need to contain large populations of feral deer and eradicate smaller, isolated populations, where feasible. The plan also prioritises the need for new control tools to augment shooting, trapping and fencing, and coordination across land tenures, including to protect significant sites.

The Plan is being developed by a Working Group, supported by the National Deer Management Coordinator, who are working with stakeholders across Australia.

The National Feral Deer Action Plan Working Group wants to hear from you. Your feedback is important to us and will be considered in the preparation of the final plan.

Find out more by reading the draft plan, which can be downloaded here

Send your feedback by email to coordinator@feraldeerplan.org.au, or via the Contact Us form on the Feral Deer Action Plan website, by Monday 20 March 2023.

A public webinar on the draft plan will be held on Monday 23 January 2023 at 2pm AEDT, details to be provided on www.feraldeerplan.org.au

Consultation closes on Monday 20 March 2023.