By JONATHON HOWARD
SOUTHERN Downs Regional Council will receive more than $43,000 to expand and improve wild dog surveillance and management programs.
The funding was announced as part of a $680,000 funding pool which has been allocated to 14 councils and industry groups.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry John McVeigh said he was delighted by the level of interest shown by councils in fighting wild dogs.
“In May we offered significant funding for councils in southern, central and north western Queensland and industry to target wild dogs in pastoral and semi-rural areas,” Mr McVeigh said.
“There was a strong response to this offer, underlining how serious local governments and their communities are taking this problem,” Mr McVeigh said.
“The key to controlling wild dogs across such vast areas is coordination. Ideally, all councils should be using resources and strategies to ensure a consistent approach. All of our hard work is undone if wild dog are not managed in adjoining council areas.”
Mr McVeigh said potential projects involved local mapping and control in areas where wild dogs were concentrated and causing major losses.
“Over the past year, our concerted efforts have started to see some inroads against wild dogs, but we have to keep up the pressure and find new ways of reducing their impacts,” he said.
Mr McVeigh said tackling wild dogs was a collaborative effort between landholders, industry, community and local and state governments.
For more information on wild dogs and the successful projects please visit www.biosecurity.qld.gov.au or phone 13 25 23.
