East Gippsland Shire Council has called for urgent government action to tackle what it describes as an escalating pest animal crisis threatening the region’s farming sector, rural communities and food security.
In an advocacy paper released recently, Pest Animal Management: Safeguarding Agricultural Productivity, Regional Communities and Food Security, council warns populations of deer, feral pigs and wild dogs are continuing to grow at unsustainable rates across the region.
The March 2026 report states current control measures are failing to keep pace with rapid population growth, fuelled in part by post-bushfire landscape recovery and inconsistent management practices across public and private land.
Council says the impacts are being felt across East Gippsland, with farmers reporting extensive pasture damage, crop destruction and increasing costs linked to fencing repairs and veterinary treatment.
Livestock losses caused by wild dogs and feral pigs also remain a major concern, with the report noting some producers have been forced to leave the industry altogether due to ongoing stock predation.
Beyond the economic impact, the council says the crisis is contributing to mounting mental health pressures in rural communities.
“The daily trauma of dealing with pest incursions is linked to increased stress, anxiety and family breakdowns within rural communities,” the report states.
The advocacy paper identifies deer, feral pigs and wild dogs as the three key species driving the issue.
According to the report, deer populations are increasing by more than 30 per cent annually, with their classification as a “game species” identified as a policy barrier complicating large-scale control efforts.
Feral pig numbers have also risen sharply since the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires, bringing increased biosecurity concerns, including the potential spread of African swine fever.
Meanwhile, wild dog predation continues to significantly impact livestock producers, with the council arguing the removal of wild dog bounties and restrictions on some control methods have further limited management efforts.
The council is now calling on state and federal governments to adopt a “balanced, evidence-based approach” to pest animal management.
Among its recommendations are stronger cross-tenure governance arrangements to ensure coordinated control programs across public and private land, long-term funding commitments instead of short-term grant cycles, and regulatory reform to allow harvested venison into the commercial red meat supply chain.
The report also calls for dedicated mental health support services for affected landholders and for wellbeing indicators to be included in future pest management program evaluations.
“Pest animal management is not only an environmental responsibility — it is fundamental to agricultural viability and food security,” the report concludes.
Council is urging governments to provide greater policy certainty and long-term investment to address the issue at scale across regional Victoria.
