Project snapshot: 

The Shoalhaven Fox Control Program

Showcasing a successful, well coordinated fox management program:

The Shoalhaven region, situated 200 kilometres south of Sydney, is a diverse and ecologically rich part of New South Wales, with rugged coastlines, lush forests, and fertile farmland. The Shoalhaven hosts a range of native wildlife, from more common species such as long-necked turtles and swamp wallabies to threatened species such as hooded plovers, pied oyster catchers (endangered in NSW), brush-tailed rock wallabies and the elusive spotted-tailed quoll. It’s also a prime region for agriculture, with local farms producing dairy cattle that contribute significantly to the local economy. But this balance of thriving ecosystems and agricultural productivity faces serious threats from invasive predators – particularly the European red fox. Since its introduction to Australia over a century ago, the fox has spread across nearly every state. In the Shoalhaven, farmers and conservationists see firsthand the damage to both native species and livestock.

To tackle this issue, 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 were having on their properties and wildlife. Initially, a five-month trial was organised, which covered 13 properties and removed 50 foxes. The trial’s results showed how effective a coordinated approach to management could be, and quickly led to a full-scale community-based effort. 

By building on the early success, landholder support and working through several hurdles, the program has evolved and continued to improve it’s outcomes since the trial was undertaken back in 2018. In recent years partnerships have been strengthened and new ones established, program plans updated, management has become more targeted and coordinated, and engagement and training has increased. The program also links in with fox management being undertaken by others more broadly in the region, such as NSW National Parks and Wildlife, local government, and Local Land Services. Today, the program operates across 104 private landholdings, in a much 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.

A view of part of the Shoalhaven Fox Control Programs area of operation, viewed from Cambewarra. Photo: Wade Kelly via Flickr.

The Shoalhaven Fox Control Program is structured into two zones, north and south of the Shoalhaven River, each managed by a coordinator who keeps teams of landholders and volunteers connected, and ensures activities will be effective at reducing impacts of foxes, and align with safety and compliance standards. The program utilises a range of control methods, including baiting, shooting, trapping, and camera monitoring, adapting each approach to fit specific landscape, legislation and safety requirements. Targeted 1080 fox baiting is carried out by trained and authorised people in a controlled, strategic way that effectively manages foxes while minimising risks to non-target species. Shooting by professional contractors is primarily used in rural areas where firearm safety standards can be met. Trapping is the go-to method in peri-urban settings where other options are not viable. Each of these approaches plays an important role in keeping fox numbers and their impacts down across the diverse landscapes of the Shoalhaven.

Monitoring is central to the program’s success. A dedicated team set up motion-activated cameras to monitor foxes and native species before, during, and after control efforts. This helps evaluate the outcomes of the fox management program on local wildlife and livestock and directs efforts to the areas where they’re needed most. Data is collated, and knowledge is shared with other stakeholders in the region to better understand fox distribution patterns, identify hotspots and record native fauna populations.

Coordinating fox management with others, such as NSW Parks and Wildlife Service, council, Local Land Services, farmers and the community, ensures a regional approach. This means that the Shoalhaven Fox Control Program is also helping protect endangered species on public conservation land, like Kangaroo Valley and Seven Mile Beach, by setting up “buffer zones” around these areas.

Fox activity is monitored using motion-activated cameras. Photo: Shoalhaven Fox Control Program.

Fox management became especially critical following the 2019–2020 bushfires, which devastated 90% of the Shoalhaven’s wildlife habitat. As native species struggled to recover, foxes (and feral cats and wild dogs) moved in, taking advantage of the easier hunting opportunities in burnt areas, weakened populations and diminished food sources. The Shoalhaven Fox Control Program was essential in controlling foxes in and around these fire-affected areas, providing critical support for the recovery of vulnerable species and ecosystems.

The program has been funded by a mix of small grants from the NSW and Federal governments, donations from Shoalhaven Landcare, local businesses, and individual contributions. As the program has grown, so have the associated costs. Volunteers need training, compliance measures must be followed, and equipment like traps, baits, and cameras requires ongoing funding. To help sustain its work, the program has a fundraising campaign to secure the resources needed to keep operations running smoothly.

A standout aspect of the program is its strong community focus. The program holds regular field days to bring volunteers and locals together, recruit new participants, and educate people about the need for fox management, how it is undertaken and how it benefits the local threatened species. Volunteers often treat these days as social events, meeting to share stories, learn from one another, and discuss what they’re seeing on the ground. This sense of community has helped keep volunteers motivated and built a broad support base that spans farmers, conservationists, and local residents alike.

Community engagement is an important part of the Shoalhaven Fox Control Program. Photo: Shoalhaven Fox Control Program.

Since it started, the Shoalhaven Fox Control Program has made a measurable difference. More than 4,000 foxes have been removed from the region over the past six years, helping protect both the local agriculture and Shoalhaven’s ecosystems. For farmers, the reduction in fox impacts has meant fewer lamb, kid goat and poultry have been killed and lower rates of disease transmission by foxes. Dairy farmers, for example, have seen a decline in Neospora caninum infections, a parasite spread by foxes that can lead to spontaneous abortion in cattle. Farmers in the region report that their calves are safer and losses from disease have declined.

For native wildlife, the impact has been just as significant. Monitoring has shown species like long-nosed bandicoots, eastern water dragons and swamp wallabies returning to sites where fox populations and their impacts have been reduced. In some areas, natural boundaries such as rivers, along with fox management being undertaken by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and others have helped slow the re-incursion rate of foxes, although there are still hotspots that require continual attention.

Despite its successes, the program faces ongoing challenges. Misunderstandings around 1080 baiting persist in some areas, with confusion between 1080 and other less-targeted poisons leading to some public hesitation. The program works to address this by educating the public through newsletters, newspaper listings, online updates, and field days, making sure people understand the careful and targeted approach taken with 1080 baiting.

The Shoalhaven Fox Control Program has become a model of community-led conservation, with landholders, volunteers, industry stakeholders, and conservation groups working together toward a shared goal. By dramatically reducing fox numbers and their impacts, they’ve protected native wildlife, supported local farming, and built a stronger, more resilient ecosystem in the Shoalhaven. The Shoalhaven Fox Control Program is well-positioned to keep making a positive impact across the region.

Looking to the future, the Shoalhaven Fox Control Program aims to strengthen its data-sharing capabilities and continue to seek a borderless and collaborative approach to fox management. 

Information on this page was obtained from Shoalhaven Landcare, and the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions [1, 2, 3, 4].

This project snapshot initially appeared in the December 2024 issue of the National Feral Cat and Fox Management Coordination Program Newsletter. To subscribe to the newsletter, click here or fill out the form at the bottom of the page.

 Banner photo: Wade Kelly via Flickr.

Other Resources

Click here to find out more about FeralScan a free community-designed website and smartphone app that allows you to record observations and evidence of introduced pest animals (such as foxes and feral cats), the damage they cause (including predation of native wildlife or lambs), and control actions in your local area (such as baiting, trapping and shooting).

The PestSmart Toolkits provide further information about how to plan, manage and improve your feral cat or fox management program.

The CISS Glovebox Guides, Planning Guides and Field Guides are useful pdf or printed booklets for managing pest animals like feral cats and foxes, developing a simple feral cat or fox management plan or undertaking a best practice baiting program.