Pest animals

Pest animals are non-native species which pose a biosecurity threat — they often have negative environmental, economic and social impacts on Port Stephens. Find out which animals are pests, who is responsible for managing pest animals and who to contact.

What is a pest animal?

Pest animals are managed under the Biosecurity Act 2015, according to the Hunter Regional Strategic Pest Animal Management Plan. This plan sets out the pest animals which must be managed in Port Stephens and how to manage them.

For more information on pests in NSW, visit the Department of Primary Industries Pest Species in NSW website.

Who is responsible for pest animals?

All community members have a general biosecurity duty (GBD) to prevent, minimise or eliminate any biosecurity risk.

Land owners or occupiers must continually suppress and destroy pest species that pose a biosecurity risk in line with the Local Land Services Act 2013 and the Biosecurity Act 2015.

Local Land Services (LLS) is the regulatory authority on pest animals with the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and are responsible for the legislation for vertebrate pest control. It's Local Land Services' role to develop community programs, provide advice, assist land managers and participate in on-ground detection and control.

Port Stephens Council is only responsible for the management of vertebrate pest animals on land we own, occupy or manage.

Who to contact