Wodonga Council
Living with wildlife

Page URL: https://www.wodonga.vic.gov.au/Services/Safety-Health-and-Wellbeing/Community-safety/Environmental-nuisances/Living-with-wildlife

Wildlife in Victoria is protected under the Wildlife Act 1975, which makes it illegal to willfully disturb or destroy wildlife.

Anyone wishing to control wildlife must have an ATCW issued under Section 28A of the Wildlife Act. The Conservation Regulator is responsible for assessing ATCW applications and determining whether an ATCW is appropriate. 

The Conservation Regulator carefully considers the facts and circumstances of every application including their potential impact on local, regional and national biodiversity conservation of the species. This can include threats from bushfire, disease, habitat loss and road kills. 

They can also grant authority for lethal or for non-lethal control of wildlife. Lethal control of wildlife is considered as a last resort. The Conservation Regulator will only grant authority for lethal control when satisfied such authority is necessary. ATCWs can be issued when wildlife is damaging buildings, pasture, crops or other property, posing risk to human health and safety, damaging the environment, or for aboriginal cultural purposes.

PLEASE NOTE: It is the owner/occupiers responsibility to remove or eradicate any pests or insects on private property. Private pest controllers may be sought to assist in the removal of these species. Local controllers are listed in the Yellow Pages.


Swooping birds

Native birds are highly protective of their eggs, nest and young and will often try to protect their territory by swooping. They are trying to protect their space, not to harm you. 

Swooping usually occurs for a few short weeks during spring, with magpies and plovers being the most common swooping birds in Wodonga. These birds, like all wildlife in Victoria, are legally protected. We do not capture or remove swooping birds, however, we will publicise locations of known swooping birds on council land through our website and social media.

If you do come across a swooping bird, here are some tips:

  • Avoid the area if possible, and if you must pass, move quickly - but don't run
  • Wear a hat or carry a stick or umbrella above your head
  • If you’re cycling, dismount and walk
  • Try and travel in groups

For further information, please visit the swooping birds page on the Wildlife Victoria website.

Feeding birds

While it may be seen as a fun activity to feed birds or other wildlife, it can cause them more harm than good. Please do not feed any birds or wildlife in Wodonga.

Human food (bread, chips, meat etc) can make birds sick and may kill them.

• Wild bird seed mix encourages birds and other wildlife to become dependent on humans for their survival and may cause nutrient deficiencies.  
• Wildlife need to teach their young how to forage for a wide variety of natural foods.
• Feeding allows for the easy spread of disease particularly from bird to bird (such as Psittacine Beak & Feather Disease, avian influenza etc.) and also from birds to humans.
• Neighbouring homes could be suffering damage.
• Excessive bird droppings as a result of feeding wild birds is not only an annoyance, it can also damage property and may present a risk of disease to people. Droppings can also attract flies, beetles and other.  
• Feeding encourages pests such as mice, rats and introduced bird species, as well as predators such as feral cats and foxes.
• Hand-fed cockatoos are bored cockatoos. When cockatoos don’t need to forage for their natural foods, they can use their extra “leisure-time” chewing on buildings.
• Birds, expecting to be fed by humans, can become aggressive and pester people for food when they are hungry.
• Wildlife can open rubbish bins to forage for more food and spread litter.
• Feeding wildlife can increase their population numbers locally causing more problems such as noise and tree damage
• Feeding can increase the number of ‘bossy’ species, which then chase away the more ‘timid’ species.
• Feeding wildlife can bring them to areas where they are in more danger from being injured and killed by cars and other human dangers.
 
Information on feeding wildlife
You may sometimes find snakes across parts of Wodonga, it's important to remember they're in their natural habitat and they are protected under the Wildlife Act 1975. If you see a snake in Wodonga, please do not try to catch or kill a snake.

Snakes are protected and removal is NOT a council role. Our staff do not remove snakes.

Local contractors are available (these are not council contractors). No preference is given to the order of the following contractors and we aim to keep this as up-to-date as possible.

  • Tristan Hamilton - 0431 530 057
  • Noel Crossman from Hume Pest Control - 0412 576 541
  • Darren Campbell - 0438 623 497 (Yackandandah)

For further information regarding protection of snakes and removal, please contact the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning on 136 186.


Mosquitoes can carry diseases that can be passed on to humans through mosquito bites. These viruses are known as 'mosquito-borne diseases' and although are rare, have the potential to cause severe disease. Your best protection against mosquitoes and the diseases they can carry is to avoid mosquito bites.

Visit the Better Health website to learn how to Beat The Bite.

To learn about mosquito surveillance and how mosquitoes are controlled in Victoria, see Mosquito management in Victoria and Mosquito and mosquito-borne disease surveillance report | health.vic.gov.au.

It is the property owner or occupier's responsibility to remove pests from their property.

If you require assistance with rats or mice on your property, you should contact a pest controller.

If you notice rats or mice on someone else's property, you should talk to them first. Similarly, if you believe someone is creating a situation that will encourage rats or mice, you should let them know.

 If you don't believe they have taken any steps to stop the rats or mice, or if you notice rats or mice on Council land, you should contact us on (02)6022 933 to advise of the location.

For further information regarding rodents, visit the Department of Health's website or Consumer Affairs Victoria website.

Bees, ants and wasps are essential for our ecosystem and contribute to the health and balance of our environment.

It is the property owner or occupier's responsibility to remove pests from their property.

If you require assistance with pests on your property, you should contact a pest controller.

On Council land our Outdoor Operations team can be contacted to investigate.

Wasps: Wasps are crucial for the environment in pollination, pest control, soil aeration and nutrient cycling.  

European wasps are aggressive, and nests can be removed or destroyed by council wherever possible if an accessible, clear location is provided.

Bees: Bees are important pollinators that support plant life and biodiversity.

Bee swarms If you see a bee swarm, it’s important to remember that swarming bees are generally not aggressive. It is best to keep a safe distance and allow them time to find a new home. A resting swarm will usually move on within 24-48 hours. Outdoor Operations can contact an apiarist but usually the bees will move on before the apiarist can arrive.

Ants: Ants are an important component of the environment, they do the heavy lifting when it comes to keeping areas clean of food scraps, dead animals, etc. Except for meat ants, most other ant species are generally not aggressive unless they are stepped on or poked, so if they are in a general green space or environmental reserve, council will not disturb them. Residents are advised to use ant sand or other deterrents around their property boundary to deter ants.

Meat ants are large, black ants that are known for their strong jaws and their ability to carry large food items. They have an aggressive bite and can swarm on people. Council will destroy a meat ant nest where it is located on a nature strip outside housing or adjacent to a playground.