Update: ABC rural reporter Jennifer Nichols attended the farm walk and produced an excellent report which featured on the Qld Country Hour. Here is the link to her report, with interviews and photos.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-29/mary-vallev-feral-pig-problem-returns/7369438
The next farm walk on Sunday 24th April will look at problems caused by feral pigs and examine ways landholders can co-operate to reduce wild pig numbers and the damage they cause Details are:
Sunday 24th April, starting at 2pm. Start and finish at Dagun Railway Station, car pool to visit a couple of nearby properties.
Portable pig and dog trap built by Mary Valley Men’s Shed
Feral pigs are a growing problem in the Mary Valley, causing damage to crops, waterways, natural areas, wildlife and posing a risk to stock and landholders. Throughout 2015, the Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee ran a BMRG-funded project to help farmers in the Mary Valley and Wilsons Pocket area coordinate their feral pig control efforts. Several MVCH co-op members were involved in the Dagun/Amamoor area.
This project made shared use of surveillance cameras, remote control trapping gates and large pen-style traps, in addition to more traditional shooting, trapping and hunting techniques. The key objective was to help groups of landholders to co-operate in their control efforts to target specific groups of pigs, which have territories which range across many individual properties and large areas of adjoining state forest and national park. The April farm walk will look at some of what was learnt from this project.
We will meet at Dagun Railway Station at 2 pm, look at some of the surveillance camera and remote control technology that was used, then head off to a few local properties to look at trapping and fencing techniques and get a hilltop overview of the extent of the problem in the Dagun/Amamoor area. We should return to the station about 4 pm, for more discussion and a bite to eat and a cuppa.
As usual, we invite you to bring a snack to share at the conclusion of the session. Tea, coffee and cold water will be provided and we ask that everyone drops a gold coin donation in the tin for the farmers who make time in their busy life to share information with others. These Sunday afternoon chats are great way to meet people with similar interests and swap useful ideas and information.
We appreciate it when you let us know by email (maryvalleycountryharvest@gmail.com) that you intend coming. (This lets us know who to contact if there are any last-minute changes of plan.)
Large pen trap with automatic feeder and wireless remote control at Wilsons Pocket.
