Wild dogs which savage sheep are putting the Goldfields pastoral industry under serious threat, with the area in danger of becoming a feral wilderness, says a committee which manages outback pests.
The Kalgoorlie Zone Control Authority has stood down in protest against a lack of State Government funds to fight the growing numbers of dogs.
Stock losses from dog attacks have been blamed for pastoralists turning away from running sheep and goats in a region which was once a strong wool-growing area.
Authority members warn the region is at risk from wild dogs, camels and invasive weeds, which could spread into the eastern Wheatbelt and Esperance regions.
Authority deputy chairman and pastoralist David McQuie said the decision by the eight-member group was taken after continued frustration at being unable to convince the Agricultural Protection Board, and ultimately the State Government, of the seriousness of the wild dog issue.
“There is absolutely no doubt that feral animals and weeds in this zone are out of control,” he said.
Mr McQuie quit running sheep on Bulga Downs station, 350km northwest of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, in 2004 and brought cattle on to the property because they were less prone to dog attacks.
“This is really sheep country but we had to make a decision,” Mr McQuie said. “For our last shearing, we should have shorn about 8000 sheep, instead just 830 were shorn. The problem is, the dogs don’t just kill sheep to eat, they will hunt for fun, so they can kill large numbers of sheep in one night.”
The authority receives $409,000 annually, jointly funded by the State Government and pastoralists, to manage feral animals and weeds. Mr McQuie said $1 million to $2 million was needed for effective control.
Authority member Ross Wood, who is running as a Liberal candidate for the Upper House Mining and Pastoral region, has reduced sheep numbers on his pastoral lease, Edjudina, from 20,000 to 2500 over the past four years. He expects to have completely destocked by Christmas. “We don’t want it to turn into a feral wilderness,” he said.
“If we don’t control these pests, that opens the whole agricultural area up to come under attack from wild dogs and camels.”
APB chairman Chris Richardson said he had not received any official notification regarding pending resignations.
Agriculture Minister Kim Chance said a State-wide strategy for controlling wild dogs had been introduced and “huge amounts” of public money had been put into controlling the animals.
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