The abundance of feral animals in some national parks in far-western New South Wales – and elsewhere – is causing major headaches for campers. The NSW pest management strategy is due to be released in the coming months, and the ABC reports that tourists are hoping something can be done to drive the hordes of goats out of the parks.
Grey nomads are just some of the visitors who are having their camping experience affected. The national broadcaster spoke to Steven Coushutt who was camping in the Mutawintji National Park with his family.
“We just did a walk into the countryside, and there were lots of goats everywhere,” he said. “I would say at any point whenever you stopped and looked around you could see goats … you don’t feel as if it’s a natural environment you’re staying in.”
Thousands of feral goats have been removed from Mutawintji this year to be sold to abattoirs, but it’s clear the problem is persisting. And it’s not just campers who are unhappy. The goats also cause soil erosion and can carry diseases like footrot.
Park manager John Holcombe told the ABC the feral animals are eating their way through Mutawintji’s grasses, leaving native animals hungry. “The existence of goats there is threatening the populations of that yellow-footed rock wallaby, and it’s the only population in New South Wales,” he said. “We’re removing a lot of goats, but there’s still obviously a lot of goats there.”
The New South Wales Government’s new pest management strategy is due to be released in the next few months. In a draft, removing goats from Mutawintji – which is known for its Indigenous cave art and outback lagoons – is classed as a critical priority.
One thing the goats do not eat is the purple-flowering Paterson’s Curse. The poisonous weed is a problem over much of New South Wales, spreads quickly and crowds out native plants. Mr Holcombe says it is probably even harder to remove than the goats. It is just one of several pests that have flourished with heavy rains.
