Feral pigs are being successfully removed across the Townsville local government area thanks to stronger pest control coordination and cooperation between Council and landholders.
More than 1,000 feral pigs were removed from Townsville in 2025, reducing the pest animals' impact on farmland, waterways and residential properties.
Feral pigs can spread invasive plants, damage waterholes and wetlands, erode soil, prey on our native species, dig up and eat turtle eggs, and carry diseases that affect native animals. Feral pigs damage crops and pastures and they can prey on baby animals like lambs.
Through the Pest Management Subsidy Scheme, Council can offer landholders a personalised three-year pest management plan, which includes support from Council throughout the life of the plan and a 50 per cent rebate on auditable pest management costs of up to $800 for properties between 2 – 200 hectares and up to $1,600 for properties larger than 200 hectares.
Fifteen farmers and residents and seven businesses took part in the latest invasive animal control program. These participants contributed through trap monitoring, pre-feeding to attract feral pigs to the control site, placing placebo baits and carcass burial.
Alligator Creek landholder John Murray has worked with Council officers to help remove feral animals and invasive weeds from his property across several years.
Mr Murray said his concerns were not only for his property, which has been repeatedly damaged by feral pigs, but also for the dangerous illnesses they could potentially spread.
"The most important thing is knowing that these animals like feral pigs are an issue for biosecurity, they're potentially carrying foot and mouth disease or Japanese encephalitis, and we don't want that in our community," he said.
"We've had two rounds of assistance from the council, they've loaned us a cage and we've been able to trap and remove more than 40 pigs. The contractor who helps is brilliant, he's got background knowledge and skills to trap and humanely eradicate the pigs.
"Each season we have pigs coming back, but it's definitely not at the same level that it was in the last few years.
"These programs are there if you want help. It's not as scary as it looks – you just have to put the effort in."
Mayor Nick Dametto said the increased focus on partnership between Council and local landholders was having a positive impact on the city's biannual invasive animal control program.
"Collaboration is an important part of the success of our feral pig control program. Council started recording landholder contributions in 2024, and since then we've had an increase in the number of landholders participating and an increase in the number of feral pigs removed," Cr Dametto said.
"Through partnership with landholders, Council has been able to successfully remove 1076 feral pigs in the past year. This is a great outcome for our local government area, and I'm hoping we can keep growing on this achievement.
"Council remains focused on invasive animal control, working to reduce the negative impacts these animals have on our natural landscapes, native animals and residential amenity."
Landholders who want to know more or participate in the Pest Management Subsidy Scheme can visit Council's website or call Council on 13 48 10.
