Pest Animals

Wingecarribee Shire falls within the South East Local Land Services region.

Local Land Services have developed the Regional Strategic Pest Animal Management Plan 2024-2028 that outlines the framework for managing pest animals (e.g. deer, rabbits, foxes) for our region.

The Plan also highlights the following species as the regional alert species:

• Hog Deer
• American corn snake
• Cane toad
• Red-eared slider turtle.

An alert species is a pest species where early detection is vital to ensure they can be managed effectively. These pest species may have small populations in the region or are yet to be detected.

To report an unusual sighting of a pest or alert species, please use one of the following methods:

• Complete the report an unusual animal sighting form.
• Phoning the DPIRD Invasive Plants and Animals Enquiry line at: 1800 680 244
• Email: invasive.species@dpi.nsw.gov.au

This list is subject to change if new incursions of invasive species are identified.

For more commonly known pest species, use FeralScan. See Recording Pest Species section for more information.

The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is an introduced pest animal that can cause significant damage to our natural landscapes, urban and peri-urban areas, and agricultural land.

Listed as a Key Threatening Process (Schedule 3 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995), grazing competition and ground disturbance (e.g. warrens) can lead to erosion issues, reduce recruitment of native flora, displace native animals and alter entire landscapes. Landholders are obliged to control rabbit populations on their land. Depending on the rabbit density, this may require a collaborative rabbit control program between neighbouring properties, Council and Local Land Services.

For more information about European Rabbits and control methods, visit PestSmart.

To report rabbits, you can use the Feral Scan website and app. This free resource allows individuals to record: 

• Rabbit sightings 

• Damage caused by rabbits 

• Rabbit control activities. 

The Common (India) Myna is native to India and surrounding regions of Asia and were first released in Australia in 1862 to combat pests in Melbourne market gardens, and then released in other states. They are intelligent and highly adaptable birds which have become serious pests in urban areas of NSW, ACT, Victoria and Queensland and are starting to spread into rural areas. 

Common Mynas can often be confused with native, Noisy Miners. 

Common Myna Control

Control of Common Mynas in Australia is clearly desirable provided it can be achieved in a safe, humane and cost-effective manner. Council supports the control of Common Mynas through encouraging residents to modify their local habitat to increase native bird populations, and through a selective trapping program.

Trapping Common Mynas

Selective trapping using 'Pee Gee' traps provides an effective, safe and humane way of controlling Common Mynas, and greatly reduces or eliminates the risk to non-target wildlife.

Engage a local Mens Shed to see if they can provide 'Pee-Gee' traps for a fee. Alternatively, they can be purchased online.

For more information about how to control Common Mynas, please read a guide to controlling and trapping Common Mynas in the Southern Highlands.

Introduced insects can cause significant damage to our local environment. They can contribute to disease and disorders to horticultural crops, gardens and native vegetation. They can also outcompete native insect species and displace hollow bearing animals.  

One of the local insect pests to be aware of are Europeans wasps.

European wasps build large communal nests that can house over 100,000 wasps. The nests are built underground, in wall or ceiling cavities, or hollows in trees and are normally only visible as a small entrance hole.

They are about the size of a bee and bright yellow and black in colour, with black ‘V’ shaped markings on their abdomen. Wasp stings cause intense local pain and swelling. However, people who or are allergic to wasp venom, or have been stung multiple times, may have a more severe reaction and require urgent medical attention

If you believe that you have a European wasp nest on your property you will need to arrange for a licensed pest controller to destroy the wasps and their nest. 

FeralScan is a website and app-based tool that enables the community to record sightings of pest animals. It also has a function for recording management efforts that have been delivered on your property.