Byron Shire Council

Cane Toads

Cane Toads (Bufo marinus) naturally occur in the southern USA and the tropics of South America and were deliberately introduced into Australia to control pest beetles of sugar cane. About 3000 were first released near Cairns, North Queensland in July 1935, they are currently distributed in northern and eastern Qld, around Kakadu in NT, and along the coast of NSW as far south as Port Macquarie.

Cane toads pose a real threat to native wildlife, and are listed as a Key Threatening Process under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 and need to be controlled.

Following on the success of the 2006 Cane Toad Muster, Byron Shire Council has developed the Cane Toad Control Project – Getting a Grip on Cane Toads in Byron Shire.. Funding for this project has been obtained from the Environmental Trust.

The aims of the project are:

• to protect important ecosystems and habitats by significantly reducing or eliminating Cane toad populations at priority sites;
• to raise community awareness of the threat cane toads pose to biodiversity; and
• to develop a neighbourhood volunteer "toad buster" network that run toad musters in their local areas and monitor changes in toad numbers.

Project Partners and Supporters

• 
• Brunswick Valley Landcare
• Wilsons Creek Huonbrook Landcare Inc.
• Big Scrub Rainforest Landcare Group
• Mullumbimby Golf Course
• EnviTE NSW
• Department of Environment & Climate Change
• Tweed Shire Council