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City of Wollongong
Resident Visitor Business

Deer

Wild deer have been a pest in Wollongong for many years. They’re most often found in the escarpment, suburbs near the escarpment and the Royal National Park.

Deer damage natural and public areas, including habitats for native animals. They are also a nuisance on public and private property. Deer can destroy gardens and fences, injure livestock, and have been known to cause vehicle and railway accidents.

We do the following things about problem deer in Wollongong:

  • Support the Illawarra Wild Deer Management Program, which is coordinated by South East Local Land Services. Watch the video below to learn more about this program.
  • Respond to damage caused by deer on land that Council manages
  • Remove dead deer from public spaces
  • Respond to resident requests about deer impacts, and encourage residents to report deer sightings and impacts through the Deerscan website. This information is shared between government agencies to efficiently track and monitor the distribution and impacts of deer.

You can read more about how deer are managed in the State Government’s South East Regional Strategic Pest Animal Management Plan.

Council doesn’t handle deer issues on private property, but these are some things you can try if deer are causing a problem:

  • Consider installing motion-activated sprinklers to deter deer
  • Protect plants with fences, wire or other barriers
  • Report deer sightings and impacts through the Deerscan website
  • If you have a large land holding you can have your property assessed by Local Land Services to see whether control operations would be suitable at the site
  • Contact the Police on 131 444 if you think anyone is illegally hunting deer near you. Some licenced hunters have permission to shoot deer on private rural land, but this is not allowed in residential areas.

Land owners are responsible for disposing of any dead deer found on their property.

If a dead deer is on your property, you will need to arrange it to be taken to our Waste Depot at Kembla Grange for disposal. Waste disposal fees apply. Call the depot on (02) 4260 9857 ahead of time so they can prepare for your arrival.

If you find a dead deer on Council land, call us on (02) 4227 7111 or report it online so we can remove it.

You should never approach an injured deer, as they can be dangerous.

  • If an injured deer is creating an immediate danger to public safety, call the Police on 000.
  • If the injured deer is on public land and is not causing an immediate danger, call Council on (02) 4227 7111 or report it to us online.

Illawarra Wild Deer Management Program

Watch the video below or visit the Local Land Services website to learn more about how wild deer are managed in our region.

See Also