Advocacy
Indian Mynas
The Indian Myna bird – 1 of only 3 birds on the World Conservation Union’s list of 100 most invasive species – is a major pest in Australia’s eastern mainland States and the ACT.
By killing native chicks, taking over nesting hollows and preying on skinks and rare and endangered insects they are a significant risk to our wildlife. By carrying pathogens, mites and disease they are a risk to human health.
The Canberra Indian Myna Action Group will help you with strategies to tackle the Indian Myna problem in the ACT and region.
Queanbeyan Landcare supports these strategies, encourages its members to be involved and can provide access to a trap on request.
Cat Containment
A February 2025 meeting of Queanbeyan Palerang Regional Council (QPRC) approved a policy to require pet cats to be kept within the boundaries of the property at which they are registered. This policy applies to all urban areas of the Local Government Area (LGA). The policy applies from 1 July 2025 to all cats born after 1 March 2025, and from 1 July 2026 to all cats. Council will run an education campaign prior to the commencement dates and will publish maps to define these urban areas.
The policy change comes about from moves elsewhere in Australia to recognise the damage that cats do to native wildlife and following a number of submissions from Queanbeyan Landcare.
In 2022 we encouraged QPRC to take action on cat containment within the QPRC council area in line with the ACT policy that had recently been enacted and following individual submissions.
In April 2023 QPRC made the decision to adopt a revised cat containment policy to immediately apply to Elm Grove, Braidwood Ridge, South Jerrabomberra and all future new greenfield developments within the local government area.
The decisions in 2025 now extend that area further in the LGA. It does not, however, extend LGA-wide. Queanbeyan Landcare will continue to campaign for its extension into rural areas.
In the meantime, we have made a submission to the NSW Government review of the Companion Animals Act. The government is open to discussions and proposals regarding cat containment in that context. Our submission proposes strengthening State laws regarding cat management and recommends extension of Division 1 provisions (which currently apply only to dogs) to cats, State-wide. Such a step would save Councils having to implement containment requirements on a piecemeal basis.
Queanbeyan Landcare congratulates both Council and NSW Government on making moves to catch NSW laws on cats up with those in operation elsewhere in the country.
The progressive steps taken by QPRC and the NSW Government reflect a growing awareness of the environmental impact of unmanaged cats. Queanbeyan Landcare remains committed to advocating for broader implementation of containment measures and will continue to collaborate with stakeholders to ensure such policies achieve meaningful outcomes for both biodiversity and community harmony.
Photos courtesy of the Invasive Species Council
Nature conservation and revegetation in and around Queanbeyan
Over many years Queanbeyan Landcare has engaged with the local community and Queanbeyan Palerang Regional Council to encourage actions to aid in the beautification of landscapes and the preservation of native species.
Presented at the QPRC Councillor Workshop on Tuesday 29 August 2023 was a paper written by Ian Johnsson, Tom Baker and Steve Dovers on nature conservation and re-vegetation in and around Queanbeyan. It is to be presented at the QPRC Environmental and Sustainability Advisory Committee meeting on Monday 4 December 2023 also. You can download the paper via the link below.
2021 Possum Boxes
In 2019 and 2020 Queanbeyan Landcare worked with Queanbeyan Wildcare and the Queanbeyan Men’s Shed to produce 18 possum boxes for housing unwanted brushtail possums in urban areas.
Above images: © Bill Hall, Michele Dovers and Pete Midson