Toowoomba residents join Landholders For Dingoes group

Keeping dingoes on properties has been deemed a success by some but the question remains is the program suitable for Toowoomba?

DIVISIVE TOPIC: Toowoomba residents have joined the Landholders For Dingoes program’s Facebook group.

Graziers across the country have expressed support for keeping dingoes on properties to control feral animals and protect their crops.

But the questions remains is the Toowoomba region a suitable location to introduce the program?

Landholders For Dingoes spokesman Angus Emmott said his beef cattle operation near Longreach and station in Noonbah had seen many benefits since he stopped poisoning and shooting dingoes.

“We’ve created a Facebook group that offers a platform for discussion for landholders who leave dingoes alone and have actually benefited from it,” Mr Emmott said.

“There’s been a major push to prosecute dingoes, but there’s a group of us who are actually finding dingoes to be very beneficial when left alone in the landscape … it’s allowed me to keep roos down at a very sustainable level.

“Research and practical experience shows that there are economic, ecological and social benefits that can arise from retaining dingoes on the land.”

Mr Emmott said while he could not comment on whether or not Toowoomba would be suitable area for the program, he encouraged discussion at a national level on how to best manage dingoes.

Toowoomba Regional Council’s Parks and Recreation Services portfolio leader Councillor Tim McMahon said the council was aware of the Landholders For Dingoes program.

“Dingoes and wild dogs are restricted animals under the Biosecurity Act 2014 and all landholders have a General Biosecurity Obligation to make reasonable efforts to minimise the risks these pest animals pose to themselves and the wider community,” Mr McMahon said.

“The level of this risk will vary depending on the nature of the agricultural enterprise being undertaken and while one landholder may not suffer impacts, a neighbouring enterprise may be impacted by the actions, or lack of actions of another.”

Mr McMahon said TRC had an obligation to ensure the compliance of landholders with the Biosecurity Act by undertaking surveillance programs which included property inspections.

“Council also provides four co-ordinated wild dog baiting programs annually with further support to landholders suffering impacts from wild dogs on a reactive basis,” Mr McMahon said.

“Other methods of wild dog control, such as trapping and shooting, are available tools for landholders to use.

“Failure to manage wild dogs can have impacts on an individual business and on the business of neighbouring landholders.

“Landholders must ensure that their approach to wild dog management effectively manages the biosecurity risks associated with this species.”

While it was confirmed that Toowoomba residents are members of the Facebook group, a spokeswoman for Landholders for Dingoes said they did not feel confident speaking publicly.

For more information about the program, visit landholdersfordingoes.org.