Vital deer control programs protecting victoria’s parks

The environmental impacts of Victoria’s deer population will be reduced with new control programs that will better protect communities, agriculture and biodiversity.

Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas said $6.5 million has been allocated to support 26 projects to reduce the impact of deer on significant ecological values, water supplies, national parks and Aboriginal cultural heritage.

The projects will include on-ground or aerial control operations and allow for native habitat restoration in regional parklands including the Macedon Ranges, Alpine, Snowy River and Grampians National Parks, Lerderderg State Park, Gippsland coast, Great Otway National Park and the Wimmera.

In peri-urban areas, the projects will control deer at Plenty Gorge, Manningham, Knox, Cardinia, Nillumbik, Dandenong Ranges and the Yarra Ranges.

The projects will be delivered by Parks Victoria and the Department of Environment, Land Water and Planning, along with partner agencies such as Melbourne Water and local governments.

The projects are part of the Victorian Government’s Victorian Deer Control Strategy which was released in October 2020 with an initial $1 million allocation to implement actions in Peri-Urban Melbourne, and a subsequent budget allocation of $18.25 million to deliver critical deer control across Victoria.

Earlier this year the Victorian Government released the first of its region-specific deer plans, the Peri-urban Deer Control Plan 2021-26. Deer control plans for Victoria’s east and west regions are currently being developed in partnership with traditional owner, conservation, industry, hunting and community representatives and expected to be released in coming months.

Since 2014, the Government has invested nearly $560 million towards protecting biodiversity and the natural environment – more than any other in Victorian history.

Quotes attributable to Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas
"We’re taking action to safely control Victoria’s deer population and reduce the significant negative impacts they have on our catchments, biodiversity and communities."

"These deer control projects will help communities, councils and Victorian Government agencies to reduce the impacts of the state’s estimated one million deer."

"This investment in deer control will help to deliver on the goals of Biodiversity 2037, our plan to stop the decline of native plants and animals and improve the state’s natural environment."