Pest Animals

Wingecarribee Shire falls within the South East Local Land Services region.

Local Land Services have developed the Regional Strategic Pest Animal Management Plan 2024-2028 that outlines the framework for managing pest animals (e.g. deer, rabbits, foxes) for our region.

The Plan also highlights the following species as the regional alert species:

• Hog Deer
• American corn snake
• Cane toad
• Red-eared slider turtle.

An alert species is a pest species where early detection is vital to ensure they can be managed effectively. These pest species may have small populations in the region or are yet to be detected.

To report an unusual sighting of a pest or alert species, please use one of the following methods:

• Complete the report an unusual animal sighting form.
• Phoning the DPIRD Invasive Plants and Animals Enquiry line at: 1800 680 244
• Email: invasive.species@dpi.nsw.gov.au

This list is subject to change if new incursions of invasive species are identified.

For more commonly known pest species, use FeralScan. See Recording Pest Species section for more information.

The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is an introduced pest animal that can cause significant damage to our natural landscapes, urban and peri-urban areas, and agricultural land. 

What residents can do to control rabbits on their property

• Monitoring: Record burrows, warrens, damage and numbers of rabbits on your property. This can help guide what control options are most appropriate for your property. This can be done using the FeralScan app.
• Harbour removal and management: Rabbits will often use dense vegetation (e.g. hedging), long grass, weeds (e.g. blackberry), refuse and firewood piles as above ground shelter. Reducing or managing available rabbit harbour is often a valuable way to manage rabbits on smaller properties when other control methods are unsuitable (e.g. pindone baiting).
• Fumigation: If there are rabbit warrens on your property, fumigation is an effective method for controlling rabbits after undertaking other control methods (e.g. pindone baiting) or if the other methods are unsuitable. Fumigation will need to be completed by a licenced contractor.
• Pindone baiting: Pindone carrot is an anticoagulant poison that is required to be dispersed over multiple days to be effective at reducing a rabbit population. It can only be used on properties that are larger than 1000m². Pindone carrot baiting programs can be completed by a licenced contractor or if you have completed the required training.  
• Biological controls: Locally, rabbits have built up immunity to the current strain of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV). Local Land Services and Council regularly undertake tests to assess local rabbit immunity to RHDV. If low immunity is detected or another strain becomes available, both agencies will explore a wider release of RHDV to reduce rabbit populations. Pindone baiting and fumigation should follow biological controls to further reduce rabbit populations.

Depending on the rabbit density and property size (greater than 1000m²), a collaborative rabbit control program may be required between neighbouring properties, Council and Local Land Services to maximise the outcomes of the rabbit control program.

To report rabbits across the Wingecarribee Shire, you can use the Feral Scan website and app. This free resource allows individuals to record: 

• Rabbit sightings 

• Damage caused by rabbits 

• Rabbit control activities. 

For more information about European Rabbits, control methods and timing, visit PestSmart.

The Common (India) Myna is native to India and surrounding regions of Asia and were first released in Australia in 1862 to combat pests in Melbourne market gardens, and then released in other states. They are intelligent and highly adaptable birds which have become serious pests in urban areas of NSW, ACT, Victoria and Queensland and are starting to spread into rural areas. 

Common Mynas can often be confused with native, Noisy Miners. 

Common Myna Control

Control of Common Mynas in Australia is clearly desirable provided it can be achieved in a safe, humane and cost-effective manner. Council supports the control of Common Mynas through encouraging residents to modify their local habitat to increase native bird populations, and through a selective trapping program.

Trapping Common Mynas

Selective trapping using 'Pee Gee' traps provides an effective, safe and humane way of controlling Common Mynas, and greatly reduces or eliminates the risk to non-target wildlife.

Engage a local Mens Shed to see if they can provide 'Pee-Gee' traps for a fee. Alternatively, they can be purchased online.

For more information about how to control Common Mynas, please read a guide to controlling and trapping Common Mynas in the Southern Highlands.

Introduced insects can cause significant damage to our local environment. They can contribute to disease and disorders to horticultural crops, gardens and native vegetation. They can also outcompete native insect species and displace hollow bearing animals.  

One of the local insect pests to be aware of are Europeans wasps.

European wasps build large communal nests that can house over 100,000 wasps. The nests are built underground, in wall or ceiling cavities, or hollows in trees and are normally only visible as a small entrance hole.

They are about the size of a bee and bright yellow and black in colour, with black ‘V’ shaped markings on their abdomen. Wasp stings cause intense local pain and swelling. However, people who or are allergic to wasp venom, or have been stung multiple times, may have a more severe reaction and require urgent medical attention

If you believe that you have a European wasp nest on your property you will need to arrange for a licensed pest controller to destroy the wasps and their nest. 

FeralScan is a website and app-based tool that enables the community to record sightings of pest animals. It also has a function for recording management efforts that have been delivered on your property.