Deer Control Area Map
Walls of Jerusalem National Park reopened following deer control operations
The Walls of Jerusalem National Park will reopen from 4 June 2023, following completion of the first phase of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Deer Control Project.
The national park and surrounding conservation areas were closed to allow aerial shooting operations, with the aim of eradicating wild fallow deer to protect natural values.
The following areas are now open for recreational use:
- Walls of Jerusalem National Park
- Central Plateau Conservation Area, west of Highland Lakes Road and north of Marlborough Rd and Lyell Highway
- Tracks that start within the Meander Conservation Area and Great Western Tiers Conservation Area west of Highland Lakes Road
Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service would like to thank the public for observing these closures while operations were underway.
Operations were conducted across 110,000 hectares of mountainous terrain inaccessible by ground, with 711 deer humanely killed over 72 flying hours.
Animal welfare was a priority and was verified by veterinary officers in attendance each day.
The number of deer destroyed was higher than the initial population estimate, which aligns with experience in other jurisdictions that have undertaken similar projects.
Additional monitoring cameras have been placed in the project area to obtain more data on the success of control measures.
The project is funded through a $400,000 Australian Heritage Grant and is being delivered over two years with another field operation planned for May 2024.
The management objective for the zone encompassing the TWWHA is 'no deer', which is set out in the Tasmanian Wild Fallow Deer Management Plan.
More information can be found on the TWWHA Deer Control Project website.