The Shoalhaven region, 200 kilometres south of Sydney, hosts a wide range of native wildlife, from more common species such as long-necked turtles and swamp wallabies to threatened species like hooded plovers, brush- tailed rock wallabies and the elusive spotted-tailed quoll. It’s also a prime region for agriculture that contributes significantly to the local economy. But this balance of thriving ecosystems and agricultural productivity faces serious threats from introduced predators – particularly the European red fox, wild dog feral cat.

To tackle the issue of foxes, the Shoalhaven Fox Control Program was launched in 2018 by the Shoalhaven Landcare Association. The program came about after local landholders began seeing the heavy impact foxes had on their livestock and wildlife and wanted to be involved in the solution. Initially, a five-month trial covering 13 properties, removed 50 foxes. These results showed how effective a coordinated approach could be and quickly led to a full-scale community-based effort.

The 2019/2020 summer bushfires ravaged the regions bushland and farmland alike. The impacts of foxes increased, with nowhere left for wildlife to hide. These bushfires also brought about federal government funding for Gillian Basnett, the National Feral Cat and Fox Management Coordinator, through the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions, to help community groups grapple with the impacts of these invasive predators. Gillian has worked with the Shoalhaven Fox Control Program to review their fox management plan to improve outcomes, provide resources and some training to the group and to assist with strengthening relationship with key partners in the region.

This assistance, along with further funding found by the group for the Shoalhaven Fox Control Program Coordinator, Ryan, the project has gone from strength to strength. Today, the program operates across 104 private landholdings, in a more targeted and coordinated way, with trained volunteers and land managers all working to curb the fox population, reduce their impacts and protect the Shoalhaven’s environmental and agricultural assets. The program links with fox and wild dog management being undertaken by others in the region such as NSW National Parks and Wildlife, Local Land Services and local government, who also work with Greg Mifsud, the National Wild Dog Management Coordinator. These coordinated, introduced predator management programs are successfully protecting both the Shoalhaven’s ecosystems and threatened species and local agriculture.