Pigs on Archer the first bite of the burger

Council requires National Parks cooperation to fight ferals

Feral pigs on Mt Archer are the Council's priority

As problems with feral animals are on the rise around Rockhampton, the Mayor has said controlling feral pigs on Mt Archer will be the "first bite of the burger".

With reports of deer and pigs "breeding like rabbits" in the national parks and wandering onto residential roads, Council has conceded to deal with one species and one area at a time.

Council staff met with Stanwell residents during a recent 'meet and greet' as well as well as landowners during a recent Urban Open Day.

Cr Smith noted this problem is not unique to Central Queensland, following attendance at the Pest Animal and Weed Symposium (PAWS) at the Gold Coast last weekend.

In areas around Gympie, local residents and landowners have reportedly set up patrols to advise Council and national park on infestation trends such as rabbits and deer.

Cr Fisher said he encountered deer on Rockonia Road during his morning walks.

Council voted for a round table meeting with representatives of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, in the first instance, to discuss the problem which can cause property damage and disrupt traffic.

Mayor Strelow said that, while the problem is not confined to feral pigs on Mt Archer, that should prove the first agenda.

"Mt Archer has been a huge investment and we don't want electric fences blocking tourists' access to all the facilities we just built," she said.

Originally published as Pigs on Archer the first bite of the burger