Pest Animals & Plants

Pest Animals

The following animals were considered to be pests in the City:

• Feral pigs
• Feral and stray cats
• Feral and wild dogs, including dingoes
• Cane rats
• Feral deer

Introduced rats and mice are subject to Health legislation and will not be dealt with in Council's pest management process.

Pest Plants

Eighty introduced plants species were identified by the Pest Management Working Group as current or potential pests to one or more of the various land uses in the City. Of these, the pest plants with the highest priority rating were included in the Cairns City Council Pest Management Plan. The most management effort is put into the control of Thumbergia, Giant Sensitive Plant, Sicklepod and Hymenachne.

Report a Pest

As a concerned resident or visitor to Cairns, we invite you to report the location of pets plants and animals that are declared under the Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002 ("the Act").

It is a landowner's obligation under the Act to control or eradicate pest plants and animals on their own land.

Please be aware that due to resourcing, Council's priorities in terms of control will be firstly Class (1) pest plants and animals, then Class 2 and finally, Class 3.

How to Report a Pest

Please note that if the pest you wish to report is not on the menu lists, then it is not a responsibility of Council. For a full list of declared pests click here.