Feral Fighters 2019 Together we can make a difference

www.lls.nsw.gov.au/riverina Feral Fighters WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW? Invasive species have no place in our landscape. The ability and responsiblity to manage feral animals rest with every land manager. Feral Fighters are local landholders who work together in groups to bait and control pest animals. They bait simultaneously to cover a wide area, which results in a better knockdown. • Find your closest bait collection point WHAT’S THE BENEFITS OF FERAL FIGHTERS? in this booklet

By registering to become a Feral Fighter you will receive: • You must call the contact listed for the • Free vertebrate pesticide training location you wish to attend - they will • The first 30 meat baits free during the autumn 2019 campaign • Access to free RHVD K5 for group participants help you order your baits and step you • Up to date information and support from Local Land Services through what you need to know I DON’T HAVE LIVESTOCK. WHY SHOULD I BAIT? • All baits must be ordered a minimum The economic impact of pest animals is estimated to be $170 million in NSW. This affects all landholders, including croppers. Pests cause significant damage to crops, pastures, trees, natural landscapes and native animals. 3 days before collection date

WHAT ARE MY RESPONSIBILITIES? • Your first 30 meat baits are free All land managers have a General Biosecurity Duty under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015. This duty requires that anyone who knows or ought to reasonably know about a biosecurity risk has a duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise that risk as far as reasonably practicable. Under the Act you may be issued with a Biosecurity Undertaking or a Biosecurity Direction should you fail to comply with your General Biosecurity Duty. It is important to note, as a land manager you also have biosecurity obligations to your neighbours. See page 13 in this booklet for more information.

HOW DO I COLLECT BAITS?

• You must call the Biosecurity Officer listed for your chosen location at least three days beforehand. They will step you through what you need to know about bait collection • On the day it’s vital you have a safe way of transporting your baits home - they can’t be in the vicinity of children, animals or foodstuff. Many landholders lock them in a toolbox on the tray of the ute • You also need to bring your current certification card (see below) Find your local bait WHAT TRAINING DO I NEED? collection point • We run a short training course regularly which allow you to use 1080 and Pindone baits on your property. The three-hour course gives you a clear understanding of 1080 and Pindone use and their legal obligations. The AQF chemical application courses remain a requirement for use of any other pesticide and surrounds 3 • The training courses are delivered by Local Land Services Biosecurity Officers and cover topics such as baiting techniques, toxicity, storage, transport, legislation and Work Health and Safety. Those completing the course Griffith and surrounds 4 will be issued a certification card and will remain accredited to use 1080 and Pindone for five years. No fee is Hay and surrounds 5 charged to ratepayers for the course • Any landholder interested in attending the 1080 and Pindone training course should contact their local and surrounds 6 Biosecurity Officer for details of when and where courses are being held Wagga and surrounds 7-8

Young and surrounds 9-10

2 Gundagai and surrounds Griffith and surrounds

All baits must be ordered a minimum of 3 days prior to the collection date. All baits must be ordered a minimum of 3 days prior to the collection date.

Contact: Biosecurity Officer Richard Lloyd (0427 012 739) Contact: Biosecurity Officer Ron Kocaj (0427 262 225) or Biosecurity Officer Reg Eade (0427 455 686)

March 6 8:30am ‘Bongongo’, Road, Adjungbilly February 19 8:30am - 10am Hillston Local Land Services Office 180 High Street, Hillston

March 6 10:30am Goobaralong Bridge February 19 1pm - 2pm Gunbar Church (off highway) March 14 9am ‘Springfield’, February 20 8:30am - 10am Corner of Tabbita Lane /Burley Griffin Way (Maurice Hicks’ property)

March 14 10:30am ‘Springvale’, Dudauman Road, Cootamundra February 23 8:30am - 10am Griffith saleyards (Tony Hill’s property) Griffin Avenue, Griffith March 14 12:30pm ‘Dinya’, Berthong Road, Cootamundra March 5 8:30am - 10am Griffith Local Land Services Office (Peter McClintock’s property) 200 Murray Road, Hanwood March 15 9am Pub March 15 8:30am - 10am Griffith saleyards Griffin Avenue, Griffith March 19 9am Reefs Hall March 22 8:30am - 10am Griffith saleyards Griffin Avenue, Griffith March 20 10am Gilmore Hall March 26 8:30am - 10am Royal Mail Hotel March 20 11am Lacmalac Hall March 27 8:30am - 10am Bridge Reserve North Bank

March 21 9am Bethungra Rural Fire Service Shed March 29 8:30am - 10am Griffith saleyards Griffin Avenue, Griffith March 22 10am Corner Snowy Mountains Highway and Ellerslie Road April 5 8:30am - 10am Griffith saleyards Griffin Avenue, Griffith March 27 10am Hall April 12 8:30am - 10am Griffith saleyards Griffin Avenue, Griffith April 4 10am Hall

3 4 Hay and surrounds Narrandera and surrounds

All baits must be ordered a minimum of 3 days prior to the collection date. All baits must be ordered a minimum of 3 days prior to the collection date.

Contact: Biosecurity Officer Phillip Price (0437 678 898) Contact: Biosecurity Officer Reg Eade (0427 455 686) oror BiosecurityBiosecurity OfficerOfficer RonRon KocajKocaj (0427(0427 262262 225) 225)

March 27 10am Corner of Glencoe Road and Road February 27 9am - 10am Corobimilla Fire Shed

March 28 10am Corner of Romani Road and Sturt Highway March 6 10am - 11am Rankin Springs Park

March 29 12pm Darcoola Homestead March 6 12pm - 1pm Erigolia Silos Maude Road

April 2 9:30am Local Land Services Depot March 13 9am - 10am Weethalle Park Sidonia Road

April 3 10am One Tree Hotel March 20 9am - 10am Garoolgan Silos Cobb Highway

April 3 12pm Hotel March 20 11am - 12pm Sheep Yards

April 5 10:30am Gunbar Memorial Church March 22 9am - 10am Narrandera Local Land Services Depot Mid Western Highway Barellan Road, Narrandera

March 26 9am - 10am Silos Barellan Road, Narrandera

March 28 9am - 10am Sandigo Truck Stop

March 28 12pm - 1pm Park

April 2 9am - 10am Narrandera Local Land Services Depot Barellan Road, Narrandera

April 4 9am - 10am Narrandera Local Land Services Depot Barellan Road, Narrandera

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6 Wagga and surrounds

All baits must be ordered a minimum of 3 days prior to the collection date. Drought feeding - things to think about

Contact: Biosecurity Officer Mark Luff (0427 481 819) or Biosecurity Officer Kate Radford (0427 481 820) or Biosecurity Officer Tom Schlunke (0447 145 344)

February 19 10am - 11am “Murrulebale”, Murrulebale RFS shed March 15 11am - 12pm “Combaning” (Local contact: Tony Drum) (Robert Oliver’s shearing shed)

February 22 10am - 11am “Pulletop”, Pulletop RFS shed March 15 1pm - 1:30pm “Dirnaseer” (Local contact: Garry Anderson) Dirnaseer Hall

March 4 11am - 12pm “The Gap”, The Gap/Millwood Road hayshed March 19 10:30am - 11am “” (Local contact: Malcolm McKenzie) Uranquinty Rest Stop

March 4 1pm - 1:30pm “Millwood” March 19 11:30am - 12:30pm “French Park” Corner of Millwood Road and Boundary Lane French Park Tennis Courts

March 5 11am - 12pm “”, at Ross Joliffe’s shed March 19 1pm - 2pm “The Rock” (Local contact: Ross Joliffe) The Rock Football Ground

March 5 1:30pm - 2:30pm “Galore”, Galore Hall March 20 11am - 12pm “”, Mangoplah Hall (Local contact: Ross Mackenzie) (Local contact: Nathan Stoll)

March 6 10.30am - 11.30am “Galore Hill”, at John Schirmer’s shed March 20 1pm - 2pm “” (Local contact: John Schirmer) Stan Galvin Park

March 6 1pm - 2pm “Osborne”, Osborne Football Ground March 22 11am - 12pm “Glynburn” (Local contact: Graham Gooden) Corner Glynburn Road and Burley Griffin Way (Local contact: Chris Golder) March 7 4pm - 5pm “Eunony”, Eunony RFS shed March 26 11am - 12pm “Borambola/Ladysmith” (Local contact: Bill Schulz) Corner Sturt Highway and Ladysmith Road March 8 10am - 11am “Keajura”, Keajura RFS shed (Local contact: David Maclure)

March 8 11:30am - 12:30pm “Kyeamba”, Kyeamba RFS shed (Local contact: James Conway)

March 13 11am - 12pm “Methul”, Methul Hall (Local contact: Patrick O’Brian)

March 13 1pm - 2pm “”, Bectric RFS shed

March 13 2:30pm - 3pm “Walleroobie”, Walleroobie Hall

7 8 Young and surrounds

All baits must be ordered a minimum of 3 days prior to the collection date.

Contact the Biosecurity Officer listed next to your chosen location

February 26 9am Tubbul Fire Shed Michael Hayes - 0427 201 177 March 12 10am Trungley Hall Tom Hamilton - 0427 201 172

February 26 11am Start of Paynes Road Tom Hamilton - 0427 201 172 March 12 9am Bellrye Barwang Michael Hayes - 0427 201 177 Yalgogrin

February 26 12pm Thuddungra Hall Michael Hayes - 0427 201 177 March 12 11am Burrowa Flats Michael Hayes - 0427 201 177 Galong

February 28 9am Old Nubba School House Michael Hayes - 0427 201 177 March 14 10am Blow Clear (Corner of Blow Clear and Tom Hamilton - 0427 201 172 Wamboyne RDS)

February 28 11am Nungi Ramp Michael Hayes - 0427 201 177 March 14 9am Roseville Shed Michael Hayes - 0427 201 177 Stoney Creek Kingsvale

February 28 11am Ungarie Bowling Club Tom Hamilton - 0427 201 172 March 19 10am Morangarell Tom Hamilton - 0427 201 172

March 5 9am Corner of Road and Michael Hayes - 0427 201 177 March 19 9am Scenic Road Michael Hayes - 0427 201 177 Eulie Road Crowther

March 5 10am Fire Shed Tom Hamilton - 0427 201 172 March 19 11am “Cloverleigh” Michael Hayes - 0427 201 177 Karoopa Lane

March 5 11am Hillside Shed Michael Hayes - 0427 201 177 March 21 11am 31-33 Main Street Tom Hamilton - 0427 201 172 Harden West Wyalong

March 7 9am Westbourne Shed Michael Hayes - 0427 201 177 March 21 9am Murringo Hall Michael Hayes - 0427 201 177 Berremangra

March 7 11am Bethune McMahons Reef Michael Hayes - 0427 201 177 March 21 11am Summerhill Wambanumba Michael Hayes - 0427 201 177

March 7 9am Barmedman Pool Tom Hamilton - 0427 201 172 March 26 10am Grogan West Tom Hamilton - 0427 201 172 Rosebank

March 7 11am Alleena Silos Tom Hamilton - 0427 201 172

9 10 Priority pest species Your responsibilities

The Riverina Regional Strategic Pest Animal Management Plan was published in July 2018. The NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 is a new piece of legislation that allows improved management of biosecurity The plan details priority pest species for the Riverina region and lists both primary and secondary control measures risks in NSW to enable landholders, community, industry and Government to effectively manage and respond to for each species. Our priority species are: biosecurity incursions and risks. A fundamental principle of the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 is that biosecurity is everyone’s responsibility. All • Common Carp land managers, regardless of whether on private or public land, have the same responsibilities. Likewise, the • European Red Fox general community have a role to play in reducing risks through their activities and as ‘eyes and ears’ on the • Feral Cat lookout for any potential new risks. A general biosecurity duty under the Act requires that anyone who knows or • Feral Goat ought to reasonably know about a biosecurity risk has a duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise that risk as far as • Feral Pig reasonably practicable. • Wild Deer The NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 includes a number of advisory and regulatory tools that can be used to manage • Wild Dog biosecurity risks such as pest animals in NSW. Landholders, industry and community should be familiar with these • Wild Horse tools and what they require of them in their daily practices. • Wild Rabbit Further information in the NSW Biosecurity legislation can be found at the NSW DPI website - http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/biosecurity-legislation To see a copy of the plan, visit www.lls.nsw.gov.au/pestplan or visit your closest Riverina Local Land Services office to pick up a hard copy.

We can help you to manage pest animals. Please contact your local office so we can put you in touch with your local Regulatory tools: NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 Biosecurity Officer:

Wagga Wagga Hay Building 24 56 Lachlan Street Biosecurity Management Tools Darnell Smith Drive Hay NSW 2711 Charles Sturt University Ph: (02) 6990 1300 Listed in Schedule 2 of the Act. It is an offence to deal Ph: 6923 6300 PROHIBITED MATTER with prohibited matter. If a person becomes aware of, or suspects the presence of prohibited matter they have Cootamundra Narrandera a duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk or 87 Cooper Street 8 Bolton Street potential risk it may cause E.g. Hendra Virus, Foot and Cootamundra NSW 2590 Narrandera NSW 2700 mouth Disease, Avian Influenza Ph: (02) 6940 2944 Ph: (02) 6958 1800 Can be made by the Minister or delegate to establish CONTROL ORDER a control zone, establish measures in connection Griffith Young with a control zone to prevent, eliminate minimise Farm 217 93-93a Main Street and manage a biosecurity impact. e.g. Disposal of Murray Road Young NSW 2594 contaminated stock to prevent entering the food chain Hanwood NSW 2680 Ph: (02) 6381 4700 A dealing with biosecurity matter described in Schedule Ph: (02) 6960 1300 PROHIBITED DEALING 3 of the Act. e.g. Non indigenous animals such as African

Pygmy Hedgehog Gundagai 87 Sheridan Street A zone established to a premises, specified area or part Gundagai NSW 2722 BIOSECURITY ZONES of the state to prevent, eliminate, minimise or manage a Ph: (02) 6940 6900 biosecurity risk or impact. Generally used where longer term management is required. e.g. Phylloxera Exclusion Zone in Riverina Issued by an authorised officer to the general public or BIOSECURITY DIRECTIONS: class of persons e.g. at a sale yard GENERAL

Issued to a single person by an authorised officer, either BIOSECURITY DIRECTIONS: orally (followed up in writing within 7 days) or by notice INDIVIDUAL in writing. e.g. A direction to a landholder to implement Foot rot program

A negotiated set of actions agreed to by an individual BIOSECURITY UNDERTAKINGS and accepted by an authorised officer. Both parties are signatories

11 12 A snapshot of 2018 across the Riverina Fox Dog Lotto You could win a boat! Fox Dog Lotto is an annual competition which promotes the extensive pest control landholders carry out and to show the wider community the importance of collaborative pest management.

In 2018 a record 4000 entries were received across the Riverina and Murray Local Land Services regions. The winner is announced each year at the Henty Machinery Field Days.

Across both the Riverina and Murray regions last year, over 250,000 baits were distributed. This was a 30 per cent increase on the year prior.

Landholders can enter by either buying baits or by sending in a photo of their wild dog or fox control:

• When you pick up your baits, we’ll enter you automatically!

• To submit a photo, complete the entry form (found at your closest Local Land Services office or at www.lls.nsw.gov.au/riverina) and email it to us: [email protected]

• Competition opens 18 February 2019 and closes 13 September 2019

• Terms and conditions can be found on the entry form

• Grand prize is a Quintrex350 Explorer short shaft hull aluminium boat, with Yamaha 2 Stroke 15 HP on a Dunbier The Riverina Local Land Services region is bounded by Young, Harden and Gundagai in the east, Hay 749kg Galvanised trailer, plus a package of safety gear! in the west, Hillston in the north and Lockhart in the south. The area covers around 67,000 square kilometres of land and is serviced by 15 Local Government areas with more than 166,000 people living in the • There are also weekly prizes of bags of dog food which are drawn monthly region. Wagga Wagga is the largest urban centre in the Riverina Local Land Services region, with a population of more than 64,000 people. The Riverina region has a diverse agricultural sector, dominated by wheat, livestock and horticulture, with the gross value of agricultural production at $1.7 billion.

Riverina has a wide range of pest species due to the range of landscapes and habitats from east in the Riverina highlands to the western plains and grasslands. These pest species have adapted to diverse topography and climatic conditions. For example, feral pigs habitat ranges from 300 mm average rainfall to 1300 mm average rainfall. Wild dogs, feral deer and wild horses generally occur in the eastern section of Riverina in the highlands however a number of isolated populations and western populations have established for deer in recent times. European carp, feral cats, rabbits, foxes and feral pigs are widespread across the entire Riverina region. Feral goats have a patchy distribution right across the Riverina region.

The wide-ranging environments provide different challenges when employing control techniques to suit the conditions. Control programs need to be tailored to suit the landscape. For example best practice pig control in the west would include aerial shooting followed up with ground baiting and trapping, whereas in the east ground baiting and trapping would be the primary form of control.

Feral Fighters encourages participation in wild dog and fox baiting groups. Annual aerial baiting occurs in the highlands in co-operation with land management agencies, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Crown Lands, and NSW Forestry Corporation, as an integrated approach to assist land managers with wild dog control across our four wild dog management groups and aerial surveys have been undertaken on a large scale in the west to gain background data and modelling on wild rabbit densities and habitat distribution.

The Riverina region borders Murray, Western, Central West, Central Tablelands and South Eastern Local Land Services regions. Inter-regional co-operative programs are already in place for wild dogs (annual aerial baiting program with Murray) and feral pigs (Western Riverina Pig Project) with both the Murray and Western regions.

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