Feral animal shooting program in Boonalla heralds results

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service in partnership with Boonalla Joint Management Committee has removed nearly 300 feral animals from the Boonalla Aboriginal Area over winter, locking-in greater protection for the environment and Aboriginal sites.

Over a period of 6.5 hours, the feral animal aerial shooting team removed a record 151 feral goats, 133 feral pigs and one fox – a great result for the more than 100 recorded Aboriginal sites, 19 threatened animal species and two threatened vegetation communities in the area.

This is the third time an aerial shooting operation has been carried out in the reserve since 2010, when 160 goats were removed. In 2023, they removed 46 pigs, 33 goats and one fox.

Aerial shooting is the most effective way to control feral animals in the area because a large part of Boonalla Aboriginal Area, which spans approximately 2300 hectares, is steep and inaccessible.

Feral animal control in the Boonalla Aboriginal Area reserve, 20km north of Gunnedah, is a critical tool in helping to boost conservation efforts.

The Boonalla Joint Management Committee meets several times a year to discuss projects and management of the area including addressing concerns about the growing number of feral pigs and goats and looking at ways to control them.

The committee recognises the need for additional pest animal management to support the environment and Aboriginal sites including allocating part of their annual funding for a feral animal aerial shooting operation in the reserve.

Northern Inland Branch area manager James Easterbrook said Boonalla Aboriginal Area is a place of immense cultural and environmental value.

“We are proud to work hand-in-hand with the Boonalla Joint Management Committee to protect it,” he said. “This program came about directly from the committee’s concerns about the damage feral pigs and goats were causing, and together we’ve delivered a strong result that helps safeguard both country and culture which is a win for everyone.”

Joint management committee chair Greg Griffiths said the Committee is proud to provide support to primary producer neighbours to help manage feral pests in the region.

“This is a fantastic example of collaboration between National Parks and the Boonalla JMC to get better outcomes for the environment, threatened species and our cultural sites,” he said.