Past projects

The Cannibal Creek Catchment Community Deer Awareness Project will deliver community engagement activities to increase the awareness of deer within the existing Cannibal Creek Catchment Biodiversity Project area, which adjoins Bunyip State Park. The project will include workshops and field days, and landholders will also survey their properties to identify fauna species and highlight any deer activity. Purchase of thermal imaging equipment will assist nighttime surveys, whilst camera traps (not baited) and transect surveys will also be used to conduct surveys on up to 15 properties over the project period.

Project lead: Cardinia Deer Management Coalition Inc

The Cardinia Catchment Community Outreach and Deer Control Program will engage a project facilitator to work with community members and private property land owners in particular,to raise awareness of the impact of deer on local agribusinesses, the local environment and road safety. This project will collaborate with multiple stakeholders in efforts to reduce the impact and numbers of deer in the local area. The Cardinia Deer Management Coalition (CDMC) will provide educational materials to the community, as well as a targeted campaign to encourage and support deer control in the more sensitive areas within the overall land parcel. Purchases will include one thermal clip-on scope, mounted scope or thermal monocular, educational sign and printed materials to assist education, training and experience of project participants.

Project lead: Western Port Catchment Landcare Network

The Deer control in Emerald Creek project, led by Monbulk Landcare Group, auspiced by Yarra Ranges Council, will deliver aerial surveillance and on ground deer control in private properties in Emerald Creek. The project will talk to landholders about their problems with deer and engage professional deer shooters to conduct control works where agreed. Works will complement a high priority eradication program being carried out by Melbourne Water in the Silvan Reservoir catchment. The work proposed will improve partnerships with local communities and their capability to deal with the impacts of deer.

Project lead: Monbulk Landcare Group

The Deer Control Upwey Corridor Project, auspiced by Parks Victoria, will engage professional deer controllers to shoot deer within the Upwey Corridor, in the Dandenong Ranges National Park. This will be an extension to the deer control operation currently underway within the Park, with this program more targeted to reduce deer impacts on nearby private properties. Complementary control works using volunteer shooters will be undertaken on a number of adjoining private properties.

Project lead: Friends of Ferny Creek Inc.

The Deer Fence ECOSS project will install deer fencing and interpretive signage at Yarra Valley ECOSS community environment park in Wesburn, to protect agricultural assets and provide an educational resource for the public.  DEECA's Deer Control Program, fencing contractors and ECOSS will collaborate to select a range of different deer fence options to be installed on site, such as total animal exclusion, or fences to allow passage of small mammals.  Interpretive signage for each fence type will describe the design benefits and applications to farming, as well as peri-urban and bushland properties.  Fences will be accessible to the public during normal opening hours to help inform best practice and share knowledge with community. Co-contributions from the Yarra Valley ECOSS volunteers will support the project through in kind works, and fences will be constructed using professional contractors.

Project lead: Yarra Valley ECOSS

The Out-Smart Deer and Reduce their Impact on the Environment project aims to protect the Warrandyte to Kinglake corridor and its threatened flora and fauna by funding a second tranche of DNA testing to confirm the results of the first analysis of kinship DNA that indicated the area is a migration hub for deer. The project will also undertake camera monitoring to identify deer hotspots/presence to aid the Manningham City Council’s control program. Three workshops will also raise awareness of deer and their impacts to help recruit further volunteer observers.

Project lead: Middle Yarra Landcare Network

The Protecting Nunganala Cultural and Ecological Values from Deer Predation project works will repair and extend an existing deer proof fence, and install native fauna friendly gates. 10 motion detection cameras with night vision will be installed in key deer movement zones to collect data on deer numbers and distribution. The project will also install 10 deer control signs.  Works will involve active participation, collaboration and engagement with community including Mt Toolebewong & District Landcare Group, neighbouring properties and landholders and key partners Healesville Sanctuary and Local Council.

Project lead: Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation

The Strathewen Community Deer Control Program aims to target the reduction of deer impacts through ground shooting using professional harvesters. Auspiced by Nillumbik Shire Council, ground shooting is proposed in 2 control areas with 11 adjoining private properties in Strathewen that align with high priority areas mapped in the Victorian Peri-urban Deer Control Plan 2021-26.

Strathewen Landcare will oversee and be directly involved in project delivery, with project activities complementing and extending an existing program led by Nillumbik Shire Council.The project will protect agricultural pursuits in the area whilst also reducing impacts to threatened flora and fauna in the adjoining Kinglake National Park.

Project lead: Strathewen Landcare Group Inc.

Aerial monitoring transects across key parks, forests and plantations in the Grampians District (central western Victoria) to gain knowledge of deer species and distribution across multiple land tenures.

Project lead: DELWP Grampians Region

Complementing aerial control across the Grampians District, with thermal and drone monitoring and ground control identifying and addressing deer impacts in Mt Buangor State Park and Hepburn Regional Park.

Project lead: Parks Victoria

Ground-based deer control will protect a culturally significant landscape, and protect vulnerable flora species from grazing and tramping from deer, whilst monitoring the impacts of removing large herbivores on the recovery of Manna Gums.

Project lead: DELWP Barwon South West Region

Undertake deer control and monitoring on private land adjoining Cape Liptrap to benefit heathland communities, riparian assets, and agricultural production, whilst strengthening community partnerships.

Project lead: Parks Victoria

A multi-agency partnership approach between Cardinia Shire Council, Parks Victoria, Cardinia Environment Coalition and Cardinia Deer Management Coalition to deliver deer control, fencing, research and educational programs in the Cardinia Creek catchment, to protect extensive areas of intact, high value remnant vegetation, including riparian corridors. The Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation will be engaged through training in deer monitoring techniques, including setting up wildlife cameras and engagement on how to analyse the data captured to build capacity in deer management.

Project leads: Cardinia Council & Parks Victoria

Control of deer around Tarago Reservoir and Labertouche State Forest to complement works in nearby Bunyip State Park to protect Gippsland Spiny Crayfish, Tall Astelia and Gully Grevillea whilst reducing deer browse impacts on adjoining agricultural land.

Project lead: DELWP Port Phillip Region

This project seeks to reduce the density and distribution of deer within the Northern Rivers District through intensive, strategic and targeted ground control, to mitigate the impacts of deer on key environmental and cultural assets, enhancing the regeneration of key ecological communities.

This project will undertake strategic and targeted control of deer in Kinglake National Park to mitigate their impacts on key environmental and cultural assets, protect nearby water supplies, and key ecological communities. Local Traditional Owners will be engaged in the thermal monitoring of deer.

Project lead: Parks Victoria

Engagement and education of community, along with deer control around Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve and the Dandenong Ranges, complementing works on Parks Victoria estate to reduce deer impacts to high quality remnant vegetation and improving road safety in the region.

Project lead: Yarra Ranges Council

Reducing impacts on threatened flora and fauna species, critical habitat and significant ecological vegetation communities, as well as agricultural, cultural and water values, and reducing risks to human safety through implementation of aerial shooting to support integrated ground control in Alpine regions, including Mt Bogong and Mt Buffalo.

Project lead: Parks Victoria

Ground-based shooting to provide refuge to key species and to protect critical habitat and vegetation across the Alpine areas, supporting monitoring and aerial shooting.

Project lead: Parks Victoria

Undertaking monitoring and ground-based deer control at Bunyip State Park, Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve and Kurth Kiln Regional Park, to build on previous investment and support nearby community deer control efforts, to reduce impacts to threatened Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs) and species and improve core habitat for endangered Helmeted Honeyeater and Leadbeater’s Possum.

Project lead: Parks Victoria

Protecting critical habitat and high-priority bushfire-affected EVCs by reducing localised populations of deer through ground-based shooting in East Gippsland, targeting rainforests of significance and other key sites in Tambo, Upper Snowy and Lower Snowy River areas.

Capacity building and monitoring by Traditional Owners and research into transfer of Chytrid from Deer to frogs.

Project lead: DELWP Gippsland Region

Protecting ecologically and culturally significant parks and reserves within the Glenelg Area, through monitoring and aerial control of Fallow and Red Deer along with eradication of any emerging populations of Chital and Rusa deer, which threaten Stony Rises Woodland and species such as Scented Spider-orchids in Budj Bim National Park, Cape Nelson and Discovery Bay Coastal Parks among others.

Project lead: Parks Victoria

Supporting community monitoring of deer impacts in Black Range Scenic Reserve and aerial monitoring across the region by DEECA (DELWP), with on-ground deer control in reserves around Grampians National Park. These works will protect vulnerable vegetation communities and threatened fauna such as Lace Monitors and Bush Stone-curlew, and slow the movement of deer further west into the Wimmera region.

Project lead: Parks Victoria

Project will deliver deer control and develop and implement pest monitoring strategies within the municipality of Knox to reduce the impacts of deer on threatened flora and fauna species and critical biodiversity habitat with significant ecological value.

Project lead: Knox City Council

Reducing deer impacts on riparian corridors including the Yarra River and remnant vegetation in the Kinglake-Warrandyte corridor to protect critical for Rosella Spider-orchid and ground-based fauna like Slender-tailed Dunnart through professional control, complementing works lead by neighbouring local councils on private land.

Project lead: Parks Victoria

Reducing impacts of deer on the biodiversity, agriculture, road safety and gardens of Nillumbik through ground-based deer control, mainly on private land, complementing works in Council conservation reserves, Parks Victoria estate, and in the Sugarloaf Reservoir.

Project Lead: Nillumbik Council

Supports integrated pest management through aerial control alongside feral goat control programs, seeking to eradicate deer at Hattah-Kulkyne National Park, Wyperfeld National Park, parts of Murray Sunset National Park and other parks and reserves in North-west Victoria.

Project lead: Parks Victoria

Ground-based deer control and monitoring in the Dandenong Ranges, working in partnership with Local Governments and the Australian Deer Association, to reduce road collisions and improve habitat for Superb Lyrebirds and Dandenong Burrowing Cray and other threatened species in Cool Temperate Rainforests environments.

Project lead: Parks Victoria

Ground-based shooting of a localised population of Fallow Deer to protect habitat recognised as having national faunal significance, including supporting Swift Parrot habitat.

Project lead: Parks Victoria

Management of deer populations in Manningham's Green Wedge Areas to protect remnant vegetation on private land and adjoining State Parks to support critical habitat for Brush-tailed Phascogales, White-throated Nightjar and local Lyrebird populations with strong collaboration with Parks Victoria, adjoining Councils and Landcare groups.

Project lead: Manningham Council

A ground-based control program that’s includes monitoring in Brisbane Ranges National Park, Lake Connewarre Wildlife Reserve, Pyrete Range, Lerderderg State Park and Macedon Regional Park, to protect drinking water supplies, respond to community concerns of vehicle strikes and protect key habitat sites in Ramsar wetlands, grasslands and forested environments.

Project lead: Parks Victoria

Conducting monitoring along with ground-based deer control in high biodiversity sites in Great Otway National Park, Mortlake Common, Cooriemungle Creek Flora Reserves and Jancourt Nature Conservation Reserve to protect critical habitat and threatened flora and fauna species.

Project lead: Parks Victoria

An integrated program of monitoring, ground and aerial control operations at key Wimmera reserves including Little Desert National Park, Mt Arapiles Tooan State Park, and Jilpanger and Tallageira Nature Conservation Reserves to protect habitat for Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) listed Malleefowl, Growling Grass Frog and other threatened species.

Project lead: Parks Victoria

Ground-based control of Red and Sambar Deer in the Yan Yean Reservoir to improve amenity, reduce over-grazing, and improve water quality from the impacts of deer.

Project lead: Melbourne Water

Fencing to protect high value assets within the Yarra Ranges National Park Management Area from the impacts of deer – particularly wallowing impacts within sensitive Alpine Bogs – and minimising the introduction of Chytrid fungus into alpine aquatic systems.

Project lead: Parks Victoria

To support the rollout of the regional deer control plans under Phase 1 of the Deer Control Program, it is essential to have access to up-to-date surveillance and monitoring data that provides a broad-scale overview of regional deer populations and trends. This project will obtain baseline information on critical biodiversity assets potentially impacted by deer at regional scales and address information gaps, by developing a broad-scale surveillance and monitoring program that can be used to answer questions about changes in deer populations, and their impacts, at sub-regional, regional and statewide scales.

Data collected as part of this program would be used to construct baseline information on deer abundance and ecological integrity, that could be used to assess the outcomes of deer management by providing a regional context for places where intensive management of deer occurs.

Increase capability of staff and traditional owners in deer assessment, through surveillance of Rusa in Western Victoria. Aerial shooting in Mt Napier and Jancourt Nature Conservation Reserve with Parks Victoria.

Protects critical high value areas, providing refuge to key species & habitats.

Trial road collision prevention by introducing the roadside application of reflective devices (virtual fencing) to reduce deer strikes with vehicles, at two sites – Harrietville and Smoko.

Reduce localised abundance of wild deer. Implement ground shooting to reduce long term increase of populations of deer at Tarago Reservoir and surrounds.

This funding is for Parks Victoria to undertake deer control activities consistent with the Victorian Deer Control Strategy, including monitor deer populations, undertake ground control activities in strategic locations using professional and accredited volunteer shooters.

Participate in training opportunities, and work with sporting shooters to undertake cooperative actions.Undertake exclusion fencing of critical conservation areas.