Feral eradication programs on Australian Islands

Christmas island

Status: In progress

A multi-year cat eradication program is underway to protect its unique native wildlife. Following a feasibility study, there is now more than $6 million invested into an eradication program with around 1500 cats removed since 2022, aiming to eradicate feral cats by 2026.

Browse island

Status: In progress

A program to eradicate Asian House Mouse in underway.

Horan (WA) &

Indian (NT) islands

Status: In progress

An evaluation of the financial benefit of cane toad quarantine across islands. Further work is being carried out develop strategies for managing cane toad populations and protecting native species from their impact.

Wild Duck Island

Status: Completed

272 feral Rusa deer removed by 2023 and the island's declaration as feral deer-free in 2024.

Bernier & Dorre islands

Status: Completed

As of 2025, feral cats have been eradicated from 31 islands, ranging in size from 0.05 to 628 km2 All islands in Western Australia are now feral cat free.

Lord Howe island

Status: Completed

Responding to a legacy of extinctions: The Lord Howe Island group has been declared free of rats and mice in 2023 following the earlier eradication of pigs, goats, and cats.

Status: In progress

Six weed species had been successfully eradicated and an ambitious program to eradicate another 25 priority invasive weeds is underway.

Dirk hartog islands

Status: Completed

Return to 1616 “Ecological Restoration Project” commenced in 2012. Sheep, goats, and cats were eradicated by 2018 and reintroduction of original mammal species underway.

Phillip Island

(NORFOLK ISLAND)

Status: Completed

All goats and pigs were eliminated initially, and rabbits were successfully eradicated by 1988, and recovery began of an island decimated by introduced species.

Kangaroo island

Status: Completed

Declared free of feral deer and goats in 2018.

Status: In progress

Active feral cat eradication is currently underway aswell as feral pig eradication which commenced following the extensive 2019-20 bushfires and the program is currently in proof of absence monitoring phase.

Flinders Island

(South Australia)

Status: In progress

An eradication program is underway to rid the island of its feral cats, rats, and mice to protect the native animal inhabitants.

Phillip Island

(VICTORIA)

Status: Completed

The Phillip Island fox eradication program, which began in 2006, successfully removed all foxes from the island, with the last fox detected in August 2015 and the island declared fox-free in 2017.

Corner inlet

barrier Islands

Status: In progress

Victoria’s Corner Inlet Barrier islands is a designated Ramsar Site. Baiting and trapping of foxes as part of a range of conservation programs has eliminated foxes from Dream Island, Little Snake Island and Clonmel Island and a 95% reduction of foxes on St Margaret Island.

Deen Maar island

Status: Completed

Deen Maar Island is a culturally significant site and special place to Eastern Maar and Gunditjmara peoples. Rabbit eradication started in 2003, and they have now been eliminated.

Lungtalanana Island

Status: In progress

A cultural restoration project is underway to remove feral cats, restore culture and heal an island ecosystem, and reintroduce species that once inhabited the island.

Tasmania

Status: Completed

A ten-year plan to continue attempts to eradicate foxes from the State ceased in 2013.

Macquarie islands

Status: Completed

Addressing potential nesting seabird extinctions: In 2014, Macquarie Island in the Southern Ocean was declared free from invasive rabbits, rats, and mice.

Christmas island

Status: In progress

A multi-year cat eradication program is underway to protect its unique native wildlife. Following a feasibility study, there is now more than $6 million invested into an eradication program with around 1500 cats removed since 2022, aiming to eradicate feral cats by 2026.

Horan (WA) & Indian (NT) islands

Status: In progress

An evaluation of the financial benefit of cane toad quarantine across islands. Further work is being carried out develop strategies for managing cane toad populations and protecting native species from their impact.

Browse island

Status: In progress

A program to eradicate Asian House Mouse in underway.

Wild Duck Island

Status: Completed

272 feral Rusa deer removed by 2023 and the island's declaration as feral deer-free in 2024.

Bernier & Dorre islands

Status: Completed

As of 2025, feral cats have been eradicated from 31 islands, ranging in size from 0.05 to 628 km2 All islands in Western Australia are now feral cat free.

Dirk hartog islands

Status: Completed

Return to 1616 “Ecological Restoration Project” commenced in 2012. Sheep, goats, and cats were eradicated by 2018 and reintroduction of original mammal species underway.

Phillip Island (NORFOLK ISLAND)

Status: Completed

All goats and pigs were eliminated initially, and rabbits were successfully eradicated by 1988, and recovery began of an island decimated by introduced species.

Lord Howe island

Status: Completed

Responding to a legacy of extinctions: The Lord Howe Island group has been declared free of rats and mice in 2023 following the earlier eradication of pigs, goats, and cats.

Status: In progress

Six weed species had been successfully eradicated and an ambitious program to eradicate another 25 priority invasive weeds is underway.

Kangaroo island

Status: Completed

Declared free of feral deer and goats in 2018.

Status: In progress

Active feral cat eradication is currently underway aswell as feral pig eradication which commenced following the extensive 2019-20 bushfires and the program is currently in proof of absence monitoring phase.

Flinders Island (South Australia)

Status: In progress

An eradication program is underway to rid the island of its feral cats, rats, and mice to protect the native animal inhabitants.

Corner inlet barrier Islands

Status: In Progress.

Victoria’s Corner Inlet Barrier islands is a designated Ramsar Site. Baiting and trapping of foxes as part of a range of conservation programs has eliminated foxes from Dream Island, Little Snake Island and Clonmel Island and a 95% reduction of foxes on St Margaret Island.

Phillip Island (VICTORIA)

Status: Completed.

The Phillip Island fox eradication program, which began in 2006, successfully removed all foxes from the island, with the last fox detected in August 2015 and the island declared fox-free in 2017.

Deen Maar island

Status: Completed

Deen Maar Island is a culturally significant site and special place to Eastern Maar and Gunditjmara peoples. Rabbit eradication started in 2003, and they have now been eliminated.

Lungtalanana Island

Status: In progress

A cultural restoration project is underway to remove feral cats, restore culture and heal an island ecosystem, and reintroduce species that once inhabited the island.

Tasmania

Status: Completed

A ten-year plan to continue attempts to eradicate foxes from the State ceased in 2013.

Macquarie islands

Status: Completed

Addressing potential nesting seabird extinctions: In 2014, Macquarie Island in the Southern Ocean was declared free from invasive rabbits, rats, and mice.

Christmas island

Status: In progress

A multi-year cat eradication program is underway to protect its unique native wildlife. Following a feasibility study, there is now more than $6 million invested into an eradication program with around 1500 cats removed since 2022, aiming to eradicate feral cats by 2026.

Horan (WA) &

Indian (NT) islands

Status: In progress

An evaluation of the financial benefit of cane toad quarantine across islands. Further work is being carried out develop strategies for managing cane toad populations and protecting native species from their impact.

Browse island

Status: In progress

A program to eradicate Asian House Mouse in underway.

Wild Duck island

Status: Completed

272 feral Rusa deer removed by 2023 and the island's declaration as feral deer-free in 2024.

Bernier & Dorre islands

Status: Completed

As of 2025, feral cats have been eradicated from 31 islands, ranging in size from 0.05 to 628 km2 All islands in Western Australia are now feral cat free.

Dirk Hartog Islands

Status: Completed

Return to 1616 “Ecological Restoration Project” commenced in 2012. Sheep, goats, and cats were eradicated by 2018 and reintroduction of original mammal species underway.

Phillip Island (Norfolk Island)

Status: Completed

All goats and pigs were eliminated initially, and rabbits were successfully eradicated by 1988, and recovery began of an island decimated by introduced species.

Lord Howe island

Status: Completed

Responding to a legacy of extinctions: The Lord Howe Island group has been declared free of rats and mice in 2023 following the earlier eradication of pigs, goats, and cats.

Status: In progress

Six weed species had been successfully eradicated and an ambitious program to eradicate another 25 priority invasive weeds is underway.

Flinders Island

(South Australia)

Status: In progress

An eradication program is underway to rid the island of its feral cats, rats, and mice to protect the native animal inhabitants.

Kangaroo island

Status: Completed

Declared free of feral deer and goats in 2018.

Status: In progress

Active feral cat eradication is currently underway aswell as feral pig eradication which commenced following the extensive 2019-20 bushfires and the program is currently in proof of absence monitoring phase.

Corner inlet barrier Islands

Status: In progress

Victoria’s Corner Inlet Barrier islands is a designated Ramsar Site. Baiting and trapping of foxes as part of a range of conservation programs has eliminated foxes from Dream Island, Little Snake Island and Clonmel Island and a 95% reduction of foxes on St Margaret Island.

Phillip Island (VICTORIA)

Status: Completed

The Phillip Island fox eradication program, which began in 2006, successfully removed all foxes from the island, with the last fox detected in August 2015 and the island declared fox-free in 2017.

Deen Maar island

Status: Completed

Deen Maar Island is a culturally significant site and special place to Eastern Maar and Gunditjmara peoples. Rabbit eradication started in 2003, and they have now been eliminated.

Lungtalanana Island

Status: In progress

A cultural restoration project is underway to remove feral cats, restore culture and heal an island ecosystem, and reintroduce species that once inhabited the island.

Tasmania

Status: Completed

A ten-year plan to continue attempts to eradicate foxes from the State ceased in 2013.

Macquarie islands

Status: Completed

Addressing potential nesting seabird extinctions: In 2014, Macquarie Island in the Southern Ocean was declared free from invasive rabbits, rats, and mice.

Christmas island

Status: In progress

A multi-year cat eradication program is underway to protect its unique native wildlife. Following a feasibility study, there is now more than $6 million invested into an eradication program with around 1500 cats removed since 2022, aiming to eradicate feral cats by 2026.

Horan (WA) & Indian (NT) islands

Status: In progress

An evaluation of the financial benefit of cane toad quarantine across islands. Further work is being carried out develop strategies for managing cane toad populations and protecting native species from their impact.

Browse island

Status: In progress

A program to eradicate Asian House Mouse in underway.

Wild Duck island

Status: Completed

272 feral Rusa deer removed by 2023 and the island's declaration as feral deer-free in 2024.

Bernier & Dorre islands

Status: Completed

As of 2025, feral cats have been eradicated from 31 islands, ranging in size from 0.05 to 628 km2 All islands in Western Australia are now feral cat free.

Dirk hartog islands

Status: Completed

Return to 1616 “Ecological Restoration Project” commenced in 2012. Sheep, goats, and cats were eradicated by 2018 and reintroduction of original mammal species underway.

Phillip Island (Norfolk Island)

Status: Completed

All goats and pigs were eliminated initially, and rabbits were successfully eradicated by 1988, and recovery began of an island decimated by introduced species.

Lord Howe island

Status: Completed

Responding to a legacy of extinctions: The Lord Howe Island group has been declared free of rats and mice in 2023 following the earlier eradication of pigs, goats, and cats.

Status: In Progress.

Six weed species had been successfully eradicated and an ambitious program to eradicate another 25 priority invasive weeds is underway.

Flinders Island (South Australia)

Status: In progress

An eradication program is underway to rid the island of its feral cats, rats, and mice to protect the native animal inhabitants.

Kangaroo island

Status: Completed

Declared free of feral deer and goats in 2018.

Status: In Progress.

Active feral cat eradication is currently underway aswell as feral pig eradication which commenced following the extensive 2019-20 bushfires and the program is currently in proof of absence monitoring phase.

Corner inlet barrier Islands

Status: In progress

Victoria’s Corner Inlet Barrier islands is a designated Ramsar Site. Baiting and trapping of foxes as part of a range of conservation programs has eliminated foxes from Dream Island, Little Snake Island and Clonmel Island and a 95% reduction of foxes on St Margaret Island.

Phillip Island (VICTORIA)

Status: Completed

The Phillip Island fox eradication program, which began in 2006, successfully removed all foxes from the island, with the last fox detected in August 2015 and the island declared fox-free in 2017.

Deen Maar island

Status: Completed

Deen Maar Island is a culturally significant site and special place to Eastern Maar and Gunditjmara peoples. Rabbit eradication started in 2003, and they have now been eliminated.

Lungtalanana Island

Status: In progress

A cultural restoration project is underway to remove feral cats, restore culture and heal an island ecosystem, and reintroduce species that once inhabited the island.

Tasmania

Status: Completed.

A ten-year plan to continue attempts to eradicate foxes from the State ceased in 2013.

Macquarie islands

Status: Completed.

Addressing potential nesting seabird extinctions: In 2014, Macquarie Island in the Southern Ocean was declared free from invasive rabbits, rats, and mice.