Reining in the Herd: A Collective Effort in Deer Control
In the picturesque hills and beautiful bushlands of Melbourne’s north-east, communities are working together to protect waterways from the impacts of deer.
Deer were introduced in Australia for a variety of reasons, including farming, hunting. In the case of red deer, they were introduced to make the landscape more ‘palatable’ which was a goal of the Victorian Acclimatisation Society in the 1860’s, who worked to ‘fix nature’ with more ‘useful’ animals. While few animals were initially released, these small populations have grown substantially over time and have spread to many areas of Victoria.
WATCH - Feral Deer distribution by species 1921 - 2021
Whilst feral deer were introduced into Victora over 100 years ago, populations of several species have exploded in recent decades. (Video credit: Invasive Species Council)
Deer can pose a significant threat to waterways due to their impact on native vegetation and water quality. Their grazing habits, and tendency to trample and snap vegetation, destroys native vegetation and natural recruitment as well as undermines revegetation efforts. The middle and understory of forested areas is vulnerable particularly where deer numbers are high. Antler rubbing can damage and effectively ring-bark trees. Deer like to wallow in wet areas near streams, which impacts the diversity and quality of vegetation and the damp riparian habitat important for critically endangered frogs and other animals. Wallowing can also impact soil stability and reduce water quality. All these activities have the potential to damage cultural heritage, including scar trees and middens. The explosion of the deer population in recent decades is significantly impacting many forested areas of the Melbourne region as well as the rest of Victoria.
WATCH - Deer Sounds Scats and Hair
Deer scat is easy to discriminate from other native animals such as kangaroos and wombats and some deer species can be identified by their call. (Video credit: Nillumbik Shire Council)
Deer are particularly fond of the forested slopes to the north-east of Melbourne, in large, forested areas on public land, as well as private farm land and orchards that may connect to remnant bush and vegetated waterways. Here they can find plenty of food and shelter, as well as connecting corridors to migrate to other areas. It can be challenging to implement control activities effectively because of the mix of public and private land tenure.
Nillumbik Shire Council’s Deer Control Project is aiming to provide the coordination needed to achieve deer control by working with the community to use funds to their best effect to reduce deer populations. More populous areas are generally more difficult to target deer in, as more landholders and their neighbours need to come together and agree on the best strategy. Yet given the impact deer have on road safety, agricultural enterprises and gardens, not to mention the native bushlands and waterways of Nillumbik Shire, the community is up to the task.
Over 100 landholders have been involved in Nillumbik Shire’s deer control programs since 2019. Some are participating properties, supportive neighbours, or community champions helping spread messaging about deer impacts around the Shire. Multiple Landcare groups including Christmas Hills Landcare and Strathewen Landcare have supported the program, and funding has been provided by the Victorian Government and Melbourne Water. Victoria Police support the program, ensuring safety aspects, and Parks Victoria and neighbouring Councils work together to plan deer control at a strategic level.
The collaboration across these groups hinges on consistent engagement and transparent communication, which Nillumbik facilitates through regular information sessions, online webinars, and a newsletter. Their website contains a treasure trove of resources, to advise and support their community to manage deer.
Invasive species management requires the coordinated efforts of many people across multiple organisations. By working together and sharing information, our native species, bushland and waterways can be better protected from the impacts of deer. In peri-urban areas, this can also mean protecting the safety of our roads, and increasingly, safety at home:
WATCH - Deer causes chaos, breaking into Melbourne home and becoming trapped | ABC News
As well as causing car accidents, feral deer have been recorded damaging gardens and even houses in the inner suburbs of Melbourne.
Links to the Healthy Waterways Strategy – Region wide and Yarra Catchment
Works to protect waterways through activities in the catchment that prevent, eradicate or contain pest plants and animals aligns with regional performance objectives in the Healthy Waterways Strategy. This work also supports regional performance objectives for engaged communities, which increase and enable greater levels of environmental stewardship for our waterways.
Efforts to reduce deer populations contributes to the vegetation performance objectives to establish and maintain vegetation across the region in the Yarra catchment to establish new vegetation and maintain existing vegetation. The work of the Nillumbik Shire Council’s Deer Control Project specifically contributes to performance objectives to plant and maintain vegetation and increase community participation in the Diamond Creek Rural and Source, Steels and Pauls, Plenty River Lower, Watsons, Yarra Middle and Lower sub-catchments.
The mid-term review of the Healthy Waterways Strategy identified deer as an increasing threat in almost half the sub-catchments across the region, particularly those in the south and east. The review made several recommendations to improve deer management. Case studies on the increased threat of deer have been published the 2020 and 2021 HWS Annual Reports.