Kangaroo Harvesting Program
On this page:
- Overview
- Who will harvest the kangaroos?
- Where will kangaroos be harvested?
- How many kangaroos will be harvested?
- How will 2020 quota be allocated?
- Program update
- How to get involved as a harvester
- How to get involved as a landowner
- Frequently asked questions
- Authority to Control Wildlife program
- Biosecurity advice
- Contact information
Overview
The Kangaroo Harvesting Program (KHP) began in Victoria on 1 October 2019 to enable commercial harvesting of kangaroos in Victoria.
The program will ensure Victoria’s kangaroo population is managed in a sustainable way, in line with animal welfare standards, while helping landowners who are having problems with kangaroos. These problems might include crop destruction, loss of water meant for livestock and damage to property such as fences.
The Kangaroo Harvesting Program operates in accordance with the Kangaroo Harvest Management Plan:
Who will harvest the kangaroos?
Harvesters will be authorised based on the Conditions of Authorisation:
Authorised and trained harvesters will harvest kangaroos in a sustainable manner and suitable kangaroo carcasses will be removed and safely stored before being delivered to a processing centre where they will be processed for pet food to minimise wastage. Harvesters will minimise biosecurity risks.
See biosecurity advice for kangaroo harvesters.
Authorised and trained harvesters will be matched with landowners who want kangaroos harvested on their property.
Authorised and trained harvesters are required to act in accordance with the National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Commercial Purposes.
Where will kangaroos be harvested?
Click map to view a larger version or download the Kangaroo harvest zones map (PDF - 2.3 MB)
There are seven kangaroo harvest zones in Victoria:
- Mallee
- Upper Wimmera
- Lower Wimmera
- Central
- Otway
- North East
- Gippsland
See Local Government Areas in each harvest zone (WORD - 28.3 KB)
Harvesters in different parts of Victoria can apply to harvest in any given region.
How many kangaroos will be harvested?
Kangaroo harvest numbers will be based on a quota which will be updated every 12 months in response to kangaroo population surveys and population modelling.
From this quota, harvesters in different parts of Victoria can apply for a kangaroo allocation which specifies how many kangaroos they can harvest in any given region statewide.
Quota will be set for each harvest zone and can vary over time.
These allocations will be strictly enforced, and non-compliance may result in revocation of authorisation to operate and non-compliant harvesters could face significant penalties and jail-time.
The 2020 quota is now available and covers the period 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020.
Quota is set for each harvest zone and can vary over time.
2020 quota
The annual quota and quarterly release for 2020 is provided below (any quarterly unallocated quota will be rolled into the next quarter release).
Harvest Zone | Total Annual Quota per Zone | Maximum Quota Released for Quarter 1 | Maximum Quota Released for Quarter 2 | Maximum Quota Released for Quarter 3 | Maximum Quota Released for Quarter 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mallee | 2,000 | 800 | 400 | 400 | 400 |
Upper Wimmera | 4,000 | 1,600 | 800 | 800 | 800 |
Lower Wimmera | 17,500 | 7,000 | 3,500 | 3,500 | 3,500 |
Central | 12,000 | 4,800* | 2,400 | 2,400 | 2,400 |
Otway | 8,000 | 3,200 | 1,600 | 1,600 | 1,600 |
North East | 12,550 | 5,050 | 2,500 | 2,500 | 2,500 |
Gippsland | 4,000 | 1,600 | 800 | 800 | 800 |
Statewide Total (annual) | 60,050 | 24,050 | 12,000 | 12,000 | 12,000 |
*This quota has now been allocated.
2019 quota
| Harvest zone | Commercial quota (October to December 2019) |
|---|---|
| Mallee | 485 |
| Upper Wimmera | 945 |
| Lower Wimmera | 4,115 |
| Central | 2,810 |
| Otway | 1,865 |
| North East | 2,945 |
| Gippsland | 925 |
| Statewide total | 14,090 |
How will 2020 quota be allocated?
New tag allocation rules will be introduced in 2020, to prevent non-active harvesters from stockpiling unused tags. For 2020, the allocation rules will be as follows:
| Demonstrated harvest status | Non-active Harvesters | Active Harvesters* |
|---|---|---|
| Initial tag allowance | 50 tags, per zone | 200 tags or 30% of the total quarterly release, whichever number is lower, per zone |
| Subsequent tag allowance | 200 tags or 30% of the total quarterly release, whichever number is lower, per zone | 200 tags or 30% of the total quarterly release, whichever number is lower, per zone |
*An active harvester – a harvester who has been active for three months prior to applying for tags and who has consumed (used) at least 45% of their total tags issued to them within this three-month period.
Before being able to apply for subsequent tag allocations, the harvester must have consumed (used) 50% of the tags issued to them.
How to get involved as a harvester
To get involved in the program as a harvester, you'll need to register through Service Victoria.
You will need to provide evidence of appropriate training including:
Firearm proficiency training
SSAA (Vic) delivers a commercial harvesting of kangaroos proficiency course. Contact SSAA (Vic) for further information.Game Harvester Skill Set
Learn more about Game Harvester Skill Set training.
Interstate qualifications are accepted. Please note that this training is not currently offered in Victoria. It is expected that this might become available in Victoria in 2020.
Please ensure you are using Chrome as your browser when registering or logging into their system.
If you are an existing Service Victoria user please log in here.
Need assistance? For help registering or using the Service Victoria App please access our Guide for Harvesters (WORD - 40.7 KB) .
How to get involved as a landowner
Once registered, you can request a list of currently authorised harvesters who have expressed an interest in operating in your zone.
It will be up to you to make direct contact with harvesters to organise a time and date for harvest.
Landowners are required to provide written consent to an authorised harvester to harvest kangaroos on their property.
Also, they should request evidence from the harvester that they have appropriate public liability or public indemnity insurance.
Frequently asked questions
For more information, please see the following documents:
Authority to Control Wildlife program
The Authority to Control Wildlife (ATCW) program will continue separately to the Kangaroo Harvesting Program.
ATCWs allow landowners to control kangaroos on their own property themselves, but these carcasses cannot be processed for pet food.
For more information on ATCWs, see Wildlife.vic.gov.au: Wildlife management and control authorisations.
Biosecurity advice for kangaroo harvesters
- Follow all instructions, signage and park where directed.
- Before entering or leaving a property, ensure your vehicle, equipment, footwear and clothing are clean and free of any visible dirt or contaminants and, if possible, disinfected or washed away from livestock or crops.
- If entering certain areas, you must use provided equipment or clothing if asked.
- Minimise contact with livestock, crops and plant materials, and only enter authorised areas.
Contact information
All queries, complaints and concerns should be emailed to kangarooharvesting@ecodev.vic.gov.au or by calling 136 186.
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