A partnership between State Government departments, local government, farmers and mining companies in the eastern Wheatbelt is achieving inroads into the control of the dogs.

The Eastern Wheatbelt Declared Species Group was established eight years ago in response to the increasing number of wild dog attacks in the area adjacent to the State Barrier Fence.

Southern Cross farmer Ron Burro said the EWDSG had achieved a direct impact on the prevention and management of wild dog attacks.

“Everyone’s on the ball now, with more wild dogs being caught even before they get to the barrier fence,” he said.

“Before the establishment of the group we were losing 50 to 100 sheep a year to wild dogs.

“Now the group is working effectively, we lose hardly any stock to wild dogs.

“The entire community is working together to share problems and share ideas.”

DAFWA biosecurity officer and EWDSG administrator Adrian Chesson said eight years ago, wild dogs were regularly hunting in packs in the eastern Wheatbelt and severely impacting sheep flocks and other livestock.

“Farmers were reporting that attacks by wild dogs on stock were reducing lamb production by around two thirds, and costing farms around $30,000 to $40,000 a year,” he said.

“The Eastern Wheatbelt Declared Species Group was formed after representatives from shires across the region agreed that a more a co-ordinated wild dog eradication and management program was needed.

“It was established primarily to improve the co-ordination of wild dog management within the Shires of Kondinin, Kulin, Lake Grace, Merredin, Mt Marshall, Mukinbudin, Narembeen, Westonia, Yilgarn and Nungarin.”

Mr Chesson said the group also focussed on implementing best practice management techniques on private and public lands in the region through the development of a regional wild dog management plan.

DAFWA biosecurity officers, in conjunction with doggers and the EWDSG, now also arrange for farmers to be trained in wild dog control techniques.

“The group gives growers an opportunity to pool resources and address wild dog control across the whole landscape,” Mr Chesson said.