The State Government is stepping up efforts to address the growing impact of feral pigs in eastern Victoria, with a $2.75 million investment in control activities across 1.1 million hectares.
Labor Member for Eastern Victoria Tom McIntosh MP said local feedback had made the need for stronger action on feral pigs clear, following community meetings, farm visits and discussions with farmers through the Agricultural Advisory Committee.
“At the community roundtable in Benambra, locals told me about the devastating impacts of feral pigs on their farms, which is why we’re acting now to control their numbers,” he said.
“With farmers and public land managers working together to monitor local pig populations and movements, we can get on top of this problem in the district.”
The funding announcement follows strong local advocacy, including from East Gippsland Shire Council, and comes after Mr McIntosh attended a series of engagements in the region focused on drought impacts and agricultural concerns.
Among the key issues raised at those meetings, landholders consistently highlighted the need for stronger action on feral pigs.
Of the total funding, about $800,000 will be directed towards enhanced surveillance and control programs on public land across the Eastern Alps and Upper Snowy regions, where feral pigs are increasingly threatening environmental values.
While the program will focus primarily on public land, it is expected to involve close collaboration between Agriculture Victoria and private landholders, with a coordinated approach aimed at improving monitoring and control efforts across land tenures.
Surveillance and control activities are scheduled to begin in 2026 and will build on existing pest management programs in the region. Works will also target interface areas between public and private land.
Landowners are being encouraged to report sightings of feral pigs or signs of damage to feral.pigs@deeca.vic.gov.au or contact Agriculture Victoria on 136 186, including location details, dates and any photographs.
The initiative is being delivered under the Victorian Government’s Protecting Biodiversity program, which supports on-ground pest and weed control efforts aimed at halting the decline of native plants and animals.
