Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2025L00287:reg:3:p71
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2025L00287
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 3 (pt 71/276)
Character Range: 282843–285720

national park and public reserves, at the Kingston and Arthur Vale Historic Site, and on private land.

Outcome

Assessing progress towards this objective is challenging as specific baseline data and indicators were not identified. However, the weeding and planting activities outlined will certainly have improved the condition of vegetation in some areas.

Objective 3: To reduce the impact of introduced fauna on biodiversity

Management actions

    * In 2014, the existing rat-baiting grid was doubled in area to include the eucalypt forest (old forestry area) and the northern coast of the national park, thus covering nearly all of the Mt Pitt section of the park.
    * Research into rat foraging behaviour and trials with non-toxic methods of trapping were conducted.
    * Trapping of feral cats (which had already been occurring in the national park) was intensified and became widespread in other areas of public and private land.
    * Information was developed and provided to the public to encourage responsible cat management, and de-sexing and microchipping of domestic cats was subsidised.
    * Management of introduced bird species was implemented: crimson rosellas were managed in the Mt Pitt section of the park and in some public reserves, and feral chickens were managed in the national park, public reserves and on some private land.
    * Control of swamphens was initiated on Phillip Island in 2019.

Monitoring undertaken

    * Surveys of free-roaming cats were conducted annually across the island from 2018–2020 to monitor range and activity, estimate the population size, and assess effectiveness of trapping.
    * Rat activity was surveyed quarterly using a network of tracking tunnels and chew cards, building on a smaller set of tunnels used previously.
    * The population of crimson rosellas was estimated on one occasion through a survey in 2018 (Skirrow 2018).
    * Surveys to develop preliminary indices of swamphen activity on Phillip Island were conducted in 2019.
    * No extensive surveys of chickens or weeds were undertaken.

Outcome

For some native animals, the management of invasive species (in some cases in conjunction with other management) led to a clear positive outcome. The most notable example was an increase in the rate of fledging of seabirds on Phillip Island in 2020 and 2021 following the commencement of control of swamphens. Control of cats and crimson rosellas on Norfolk Island, together with provision of protected nest sites, contributed to a substantial increase in the population of Norfolk Island green parrots.
For some other species, the benefits of feral animal control were not as large as expected. Most populations of threatened passerine birds are believed to have been stable or in decline over the last decade. As rats are thought to be one of the greatest threats to these species, the lack