Invasive Species watchdog calls for fast action as deer herds threaten motorists and homes

Huge spotted feral deer are moving east from the Gold Coast hinterland causing havoc for motorists and residents in central suburbs. See where

Huge spotted feral deer are moving east from the Gold Coast hinterland causing havoc for motorists and residents in central suburbs, new photographs show.

The Invasive Species Council has released images and CCTV footage showing large numbers of deer in Nerang and Merrimac.

The Council which supports land managers, environmental and community interests is urging the State Government and city council to act before the numbers spiral out of control.

Gold Coast City Council is building a draft management plan and employing two drone contractors with monitoring this winter for key survey areas:

* Wongawallan, Guanaba, Maudsland, Nerang across 14 reserves, parks and conservation covering 500ha.

* Mount Nathan, Clagiraba, Gilston, Highland Park, Worongary, Tallai across similar areas covering 1421ha

* Merrimac, Robina, Mudgeeraba, Bonogin, Reedy Creek covering 1220ha.

* Private properties in those hot spots totalling 727ha.

Feral deer numbers are exploding in the Gold Coast hinterland.

Invasive Species Council Advocacy Manager Reece Pianta said Victoria had ignored the threat and their feral deer population was now one million.

Fallow deer, red deer, chital deer and rusa deer are all found on the Gold Coast where the city council lists them as the worst invasive pest - above fire ants.

“They trash habitat, send native wildlife hungry and are increasingly darting across suburban roads putting communities at risk,” Mr Pianta said.

“We’ve now got chital deer on the urban fringe of the Gold Coast, with residents reporting

traffic accidents and sightings in built-up areas - and yet there’s no deer

management plan in place for the region.”

Mr Pianta said the the Queensland Feral Deer Management plan was not adequate.

“There’s no population monitoring, no economic impact study, no regional leadership. We’re flying blind,” he said.

‘While we applaud the Gold Coast City Council’s recent efforts and investment in scaled up

deer action, this needs to be supported by state government funding and regional planning

and coordination with other councils, landowners and government agencies.”

Large numbers of feral deer in the Gold Coast hinterland.

The City uses trapping and fencing to control deer numbers, and in November considered aerial shooting using helicopters after sightings increased 1000 per cent.

Non-profit group Watergum had conducted social media surveying. Separate counts in on the flood plain north of Robina, covering an 893ha area, found 670 deer.

Mapping revealed hot spots were Merrimac flood plain, Gilston, west of Nerang and north to Mount Nathan and Maudsland.

Lifestyle committee chair Glenn Tozer said the City team led by Hadley Mills were working hard to audit feral deer.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife on learning of the City’s thermal surveying had provided $40,000 in extra funding to include the Nerang National Park and Conservation Park.

Mr Tozer was confident the next 12 months would see improvements in managing the pest.

“We’ve already allocated budget and deployed resources to work collaboratively with other agencies to manage this pest, and our plan includes the use of drones and aerial thermal monitoring to ensure those resources are most efficiently utilising ratepayers funds,” he said.

Mr Pianta said Queensland councils were left to fend for themselves and under resourced because so much funding was being used to stop fire ants.

Photograph footage of feral deer at night in the Gold Coast hinterland.

The Invasive Species Council is seeking a proper population estimate and economic impact study along with a stakeholder roundtable to drive solutions.

They also believe a public awareness campaign could encourage sightings and reporting.

“‘We can’t make the mistakes of other states. Victoria ignored their deer problem for years –

now its population could be around 1 million, leading to an ecological crisis that is costing

millions in control.”

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Originally published as Invasive Species watchdog calls for fast action as deer herds threaten motorists and homes