There's still a lot of work to do to protect wombats in Victoria, but we're proud of what we've already achieved:
Hunting Banned
We've banned recreational wombat shooting. Previously, there was a decades-old loophole that allowed for wombats to be shot in certain areas of Victoria... for fun. There was even a recreational shooting range. Not anymore.
Funding for Mange Management
We locked in vital budget funding to implement a wombat mange treatment program in Victoria. Mange is one of the biggest killers of wombats as it makes them so compromised, they slowly die. This program has seen medical treatment applied to flaps on their burrows, fixing the illness as they pass in and out!
Funding for Wombat Gate Trials
We also secured a wombat gate trial across Victoria. Wombat gates are fixed to farm fences to stop them burrowing to make their way through. This is important, because some landowners will opt to get a license to harm wombats if they are doing property damage. This offers a kind, non-lethal alternative.