Mutawintji And Goats

["Brian Everingham" <>]

Dear Chris
Regarding the goats at Mutawintji National Park
The traditional Aboriginal owners are as concerned as the rest of us about goats and the damage they do to sacred sites and camping caves, etc ... When I was there for negotiations over the handback we made sure of the importance we attached to feral animal control and we were heartened to see a goat catcher and partner with an old van catching upwards of 50 goats per
day in pens ...If that is not now operating then perhaps the bottom has fallen out of a market.... the Indonesians were keen on the meat until the first Asian Crash.

 

I think the problem is that goats are all over and include lands not in parks as well ... always filling empty niches ... but let the NSW Government know, via its Minister, that feral animal control in national parks is vital for biodiversity. Not just for the birds. Think of the Rock Wallabies. Don't need to refer to his wimpish behaviour of culling of feral horses if you don't want to. But more pressure, the better!

 

I copied this to the conservation representative on the Mutawintji Board as well as key people within NPA of NSW. They will be pleased you were concerned in your trip about goats and glad we have this forum to raise the issue.That was now some time ago as twice I tried to send this to birding-aus without it being returned to my own mail and therefore, no doubt, not going to others. It did go to Haydn Washington and her replied to me as follows:

 

"Brian,

Goats are a real problem at Mutawintji ... I attach a paper I presented to the
Board ..... to reintroduce aerial shooting,  and the Chair attacked it and
opposed it on the grounds of 'waste of meat'. Still I have hassled them to get
better collection and lower numbers of goats."

 

I trust this helps the matter and hope that this time my letter gets through to birding-aus

 

Brian Everingham
Hon Secretary
NPA of NSW
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