The recent successful use of drone technology by Southern Downs Regional Council to gather 'pest data' for the implementation of animal control programs was a first that could be mirrored by government agencies across the country for a variety of applications within infrastructure, agriculture, biosecurity, emergency response, security and research.

In June 2016, Council partnered with Goondiwindi Regional Council, Biosecurity Queensland and Granite Borders Landcare Committee to address the region's pest problem. Australian technology company, Ninox Robotics was engaged to conduct drone flights along the Queensland and New South Wales border where previous pest animal control measures, such as aerial baiting and shooting, had been used.

Southern Downs Portfolio Councillor for Rural, Environmental, Sustainability and Waste Management, Cameron Gow said the three-day trial at the 'Brooklyn' sheep and cattle grazing property provided a glimpse into what could become a routine part of pest animal control in the future.

"Essential data was captured with the drone's infra-red and optical cameras and analysed to determine pest animal populations. Ultimately, this information will allow us to better target future control actions, which should result in effective and cost-reduced control programs," he said.

Cr Gow said wild dogs lived and bred within the region and aerial baiting with helicopters was introduced in recent years to achieve effective control in the vast country and traprock areas.

"However, these operations are expensive and require comprehensive coverage to place baits in the areas where wild dogs roam. It can be difficult to be accurate about their exact location, so the use of innovative technology to track and monitor them enables us to adjust the control methods for best effect," he said.

Cr Gow highlighted that wild dogs were a threat to the viability of the sheep and wool industry in the Southern Downs and Goondiwindi regions.

"We partnered with local landowners to reverse the industry decline in the traprock wool growing region, where sheep numbers have diminished from 300,000 to 100,000 in the past five years," he said.

Cr Gow noted that the sub-catchment was chosen with the intention of expanding the program across the Southern Downs and adjacent areas to broaden the level of wild dog control. All landholders were invited to participate in planning and attended review meetings which provided an overview of the extent of the wild dog problem and loss of sheep.

Chair of the Southern Downs Region Wild Dog Management Advisory Committee, Mr Clive Smith, outlined a planning approach initiated in early 2015 based on sub-catchment areas within the Southern Downs region. When funding for wild dog control projects became available through the Queensland Drought Relief (Feral Animals) initiative, an application based on the action plan was successfully submitted and activities implemented, including landholder training and aerial baiting of large swathes of inaccessible country.

Local landholders reported activities had immediate success in reducing wild dog impacts on sheep. With a successful pilot to draw on, the planning approach was expanded to two other sub-catchment areas in the Southern Downs, with funding received through the Queensland Feral Pest Initiative to implement more strategic actions, including electrification of wild dog spur fencing and further aerial baiting.

"The successful pilot project established a template for use in other sub-catchment areas with plans already underway in anticipation of future funding opportunities. As the approach is implemented across more sub-catchments, the effectiveness of wild dog control will expand significantly," Cr Gow said.

"To date, the project has secured funding of more than $600,000 to implement strategic wild dog control actions across 200,000 hectares and this approach can be used by other councils.

"The strategy would vary from area to area, but the relatively small scale planning to identify actions that will result in pest reduction is the same, as are the increased benefits," he said.

On completion of the pilot program, the project partners are exploring further funding opportunities to support use of the drone technology in to the future.