Controlling pests to protect the land
Through the Now or Never project, the Northern and Yorke Landscape Board is working with private landholders, Hills and Fleurieu Landscape Board and Green Adelaide to deliver a coordinated, landscape-scale approach to feral deer eradication and feral goat control.
Goats and deer have a devastating impact on agriculture and the health of our environment, trampling native vegetation, destroying habitat for native animals and negatively affecting water quality and soil cover.
With regional communities struggling in dry times, it’s more important than ever to work with private landholders to remove pest animals that impact farming and natural resources.
In the Northern and Yorke region, Now or Never control efforts are focussed on 5 key locations. In October 2024, a small and strategic deer cull was carried out at Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary, along with 5 adjoining private landholders. It was the third aerial operation in 3 years, which has seen about 700 feral deer removed from the landscape.
A more recent aerial goat and deer operation involved 23 landholders across 20,000 hectares of private land in the Southern Flinders Ranges. During one week in March, more than 1000 goats and 120 deer were culled. This work supports the Department for Environment and Water’s Bounceback program, which aims to protect habitat in National Parks for the endangered yellow-footed rock wallaby.
For the private landholders involved, they not only have a legal obligation to eradicate feral deer and control feral goats, but they see the benefits of reduced grazing pressure. Feral pests crush pastures and native grass cover that protects soil from erosion. They also put pressure on limited water and feed resources required for livestock.
In April, another 25 landholders were involved in an aerial operation covering more than 35,000 hectares of private land in the Rangelands and Mid North areas. More than 2000 goats were mustered and sent to market prior to the aerial cull, which removed 1271 goats.
A feral deer operation is now planned for the Clare Valley district. The Now or Never team is seeking larger landholders to be involved. Already 170 deer have been removed in the Clare Valley by contracted ground shooters since the start of the year, reducing the impact of these pests on vineyards and local biodiversity. Interested landholders are encouraged to complete a simple online form, call our Clare office on 8841 3444 or email ny.landscapeboard@sa.gov.au.
