Wild dog baiting campaign commences

Charters Towers Regional Council is set to roll out 21 wild dog bait preparation stations for the Region’s landholders.

The 1080 wild dog baiting campaign will start Monday, 19 April 2021 at Red Hill-Campaspe and end Friday, 21 May 2021 at Camel Creek.

Councillor Bernie Robertson, whose portfolio includes pest and animal management, said Council staff will be at a different location each day of the campaign.

“This will ensure we can reach as many of the Region’s landholders as possible,” he said.

“This year’s campaign will be like previous years.

“Council will supply the 1080 poison to inject into the bait with landholders responsible for supplying the meat for the bait,” Cr Robertson said.

The campaign comes just as the Queensland government committed further funding to the supply of 1080 poison for local government areas.

State Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner announced last week the Queensland Government will cover 75 percent of the cost of 1080 supply for baiting programs over the next three years.

Mayor Frank Beveridge said the State’s decision came after much lobbying from Queensland councils, including Charters Towers.

“We were one of the loudest voices at the table in making sure Brisbane continued its support of the important wild dog control effort,” he said.

“Wild dogs are a state issue that detrimentally affect regional local government areas.

“It’s estimated wild dog attacks on livestock cost the Australian economy more than $89 million a year in lost production and control costs.

“It’s a serious issue that goes over local government borders and we needed assurances that ratepayers wouldn’t have to bear all of the cost for wild dog control,” Cr Beveridge said.

View the campaign dates here or For further information contact Council on 4761 5300.