FERAL: Council shoots down aerial pest culling plans

A local council has set its sights on new funding for pest management, but have dismissed some of the project options of aerial shooting.

THE concept of combating feral animals and plants from the sky has been shot down by Somerset Regional Council.

The idea for aerial shooting was knocked back by councillors at the latest meeting when discussing further funding applications for pest control.

While councillors were in full support of applying for additional funding, there was some disagreement about the project ideas posed in the application.

Councillor Dan Hall raised his objections to the first of the proposed projects, to carry out aerial shooting of pest animals in strategic locations.

"I think we'd be better off going the bounty route or getting some hunters in, rather than forking out money for helicopters," he said.

"Even if they only manage to shoot one pig, we still have to pay them for a full day of flying around."

Several councillors voiced their agreement, with Cr. Cheryl Gaedtke passing on suggestions she received in the wake of council's recent bounty program on wild pigs.

"A resident has suggested that trapping and thermal shooting might be better options," she said.

"Aerial shooting is expensive, and the needs aren't always met."

Further discussion of specific strategies was tabled for a later time, pending the successful allocation of the grant money, though councillors resolved to remove item one from the initial application.

The Federal Government's Communities Combating Pest and Weed Impacts During Drought Program - Biosecurity Management of Pests and Weeds - Round 2 aims to support projects and policies to combat pest plants and animals.

There is a pool of $10 million in total on offer, with the eligible councils able to apply for grants of anywhere between $50,000 to $1 million.

Just 33 per cent of local councils in Australia meet the criteria for the grant program, with Somerset Regional Council being one of nineteen eligible groups in Queensland.

The other potential projects included in the application were the destruction of rabbit harbours, aerial treatment of parthenium, expansions to the council's existing Chemical Subsidy Program, and an extension to council's ongoing lantana control program trial.

Councillor Robert Whalley expressed his concerns about the short-term nature of the grant program, which, if successful, would require council to finish using the money by the end of 2021.

"It's one thing to do all of this and get these weeds under control, but we need to have a long-term plan to monitor and prevent them from spreading again," he said.

Chief Executive Officer Andrew Johnson said this was something to be discussed in more detail after the funding had been secured.

"The goal here is obviously to get the money," he said.

"We can discuss ongoing goals once we're underway."

Applications for the grant close in early February, and the funds will be allocated to successful applicants later in the year.

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