Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) would like to remind the public that the Walls of Jerusalem National Park will be closed from 1 May – 4 June for aerial shooting operations as part of a deer control project.
The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA) Deer Control Project aims to eradicate wild fallow deer from the Walls of Jerusalem National Park to protect the area’s wilderness values.
The following areas will be closed to all users:
- 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.
PWS Director, Landscape Programs Mark Bryce said wild fallow deer were a threat to the natural values of the TWWHA.
“It is important that we remove wild fallow deer from areas such as the Walls of Jerusalem National Park as they damage soils, waterways and trample sensitive plants,” Mr Bryce said.
Deployments for the control project are scheduled for May 2023 and May 2024.
“May has been selected due to favourable weather conditions and minimal impact on recreational users and wildlife,” Mr Bryce said.
The control project will be overseen by a qualified veterinarian to independently supervise the operations and ensure animal welfare.
The management objective for the zone encompassing the TWWHA is ‘no deer’, which is set out in the Tasmanian Wild Fallow Deer Management Plan.
For further information including a full list of track and road closures visit:
https://parks.tas.gov.au/about-us/managing-our-parks-and-reserves/twwha-deer-control-project-2023-and-2024
