Manningham Council’s wild deer control program is helping reduce the negative impact of deer on private properties, bushland, waterways and road safety.
Since 2017, Manningham Council has supported residents to manage deer on their properties through our Local Environment Assistance Fund (LEAF) program.
In recent years, this support has been strengthened through funding from the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), enabling Council to provide a 100 per cent rebate for eligible Green Wedge residents who engage a professional deer control contractor.
Through the program, since January 2024 more than 200 Sambar deer have been managed in Warrandyte, Warrandyte South, Park Orchards and Wonga Park. Manningham Mayor, Councillor Deirdre Diamante, commended the program’s impact on both local biodiversity and road safety.
“Thanks to LEAF, we’ve been able to make significant headway in controlling the wild deer population and reducing the associated damage to private land and our environment,” Cr Diamante said.
“It’s important that we continue this work, and I encourage eligible landowners to take advantage of the support and expertise offered by the LEAF program.”
Wild deer cause significant and widespread impacts to both private and public land, including destroying native vegetation, disrupting ecosystems and threatening agricultural activities.
The LEAF program provides residents with access to professional support and expertise, ensuring that deer control is done safely, effectively and responsibly.
Manningham Council’s deer control efforts on private land are supported by Parks Victoria’s work on public land, including its successful expansion of deer control activities across five reserves in Warrandyte State Park since July 2024.
The DEECA grant that helps fund Council’s deer control program is set to end in June 2025.
Manningham Council is in ongoing discussions with DEECA about securing further funding to help support deer control.
If you see a deer or notice damage, please report it using the FeralScan app to help us reduce the impact of wild deer. Data is securely stored in the FeralScan database and may assist government and biosecurity agencies in planning deer control. You can choose to make your report public or private.
For more information about our LEAF program, visit manningham.vic.gov.au/deer-control
