NPWS Ground and Aerial shooting programs – Feb/March 2021

• Charlottes Pass village
• Perisher village (all areas incl. Blue Cow)
• Smiggin Holes village
• Link road
• Guthega village.

The objective of this program is to decrease the impacts associated with rabbits on both the environment and resort infrastructure within the resort areas of Kosciuszko National Park. The program includes shooting operations undertaken by authorised NPWS officers and authorised NPWS contractors. The operations will be carried out between the hours of 18:00 and 21:00 each evening. However, no shooting will be undertaken as a component of this program on weekends, public holidays, NSW public school holidays or during public events. Shooting operations will also be limited to times and areas of low visitation and lodge/accommodation occupancy.

Aerial shooting program targeting feral deer, pigs & goats that will be undertaken from the 22^nd February – 5^th March in Kosciuszko National Park (NP), Brindabella NP and Bimberi Nature Reserve.

NPWS undertakes aerial shooting as part of its integrated pest control program and is a commonly used, best practise management technique, undertaken by trained and accredited Feral Animal Aerial Shooting Team (FAAST) shooters. It is a highly effective pest control method, particularly in remote and/or inaccessible areas and has been used in various reserves in Southern Ranges Branch for many years.  This program is twofold, to reduce the impacts from feral deer, pigs & goats to protect threatened species as part of the Saving our Species Program and to assist post-fire recovery.

The current schedule below indicates when programs are proposed to be undertaken.

The program should be completed within the dates given above, pending weather and availability of resources.

–          Shooting will be excluded from:

• within and around resorts
• roads and some walking tracks
• Summit Walk/Trail and Kosciuszko walking track.

There will be a partial closure of Kosciuszko National Park covering walking tracks and surrounding areas within the shoot area. This will be highlighted through signage at the start of those walking tracks as well as promotion on the NPWS website and at Visitor Information Centres.

The closed areas will be:

• Rennix walk
• Rainbow Lake walk
• Porcupine track
• Waterfall walk
• Illawong Walk
• Main Range Walk (Excluding Summit Walk and Summit Trail)
• The Main Range – Dicky Cooper Bogong south along Rolling Ground to Wilkinsons Creek and Mt Northcote
• Ramshead Range – Merrits Creek east to Sawpit Creek
• Mount Guthrie east to Mount Paralyser
• The area east of Guthega Link Road, eastwards to Diggers Creek
• The area east from Diggers Creek (Guthega Road) and north of Kosciuszko Road eastwards towards Jindabyne Pumping Station
• The Cascades, Chimneys Ridge and Charcoal Range (excluding Cascades, Ingeegoodbee and Nine Mile Fire Trails)
• Suggan Buggan Range
• Byadbo Wilderness Area
• Moyangul or Pinch River, upstream of Lookout Creek

NOTE: Summit Walk, Summit Trail and Kosciuszko Walk will remain open

This operation is part of an ongoing multi-year program to reduce impacts of deer and pigs on high conservation areas. These include the montane bogs and fens threatened ecological community. Other feral animals such as foxes, goats, and wild dogs will also be targeted during this program. Aerial shooting is not used to control horses in NSW national parks, and therefore horses will not be targeted as part of this program.

http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/