Kangaroo harvesting

The Kangaroo Harvesting Program (KHP) began in Victoria on 1 October 2019 to enable the harvesting of Eastern and Western Grey kangaroos (grey kangaroos) in Victoria. The program provides an alternative to the existing Authority to Control Wildlife (ATCW) system for landholders wishing to control kangaroos on their property.

The KHP helps landholders reduce issues caused by kangaroos on-farm, makes use of the carcasses and provides an income for the trained harvesters. Problems faced by landholders include crop destruction, competition with livestock and damage to property such as fences.

The sustainability of kangaroo populations is protected by limiting the harvest using annual quotas. The harvesting quota is set, taking into account population estimates and the predicted ATCW numbers for the coming year.

Authorised harvesters take kangaroos in a sustainable manner at no cost to landholders. Suitable kangaroo carcasses are delivered to a processing centre where they are processed for food and other products, minimising wastage. Harvesters are accredited in firearm proficiency and game harvester skill sets. They must act in accordance with national standards.

Landholders engage authorised harvesters directly and can request details of authorised harvesters in their area. Landholders wishing to use authorised harvesters do not need to apply for an ATCW.

The KHP operates in accordance with the 2024-2028 Victorian Kangaroo Harvest Management Plan (KHMP):

Authorised Harvesters are subject to the Conditions of Authorisation:

Authorised harvesters must act in accordance with the National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Commercial Purposes.

In 2023, the new Kangaroo Harvest Management Plan 2024-2028 was released.

Updates to the plan included:

  • a life span of 5 years. The Plan will operate from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2028
  • additional management actions to ensure impacts during and after emergencies, such as bushfires and floods
  • improvements to reporting and communication processes

Where harvesting can take place from 2024

From 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024, the state is divided into 7 Harvest Zones and 1 Exclusion Zone.

Download the 2024 Harvest Zones map 2024 (DOCX 161.03 KB)DOCX icon for the location of the Harvest Zones and Exclusion Zone.

Harvesting in 2024 may only occur in the LGAs listed in Table 1.

Harvesting is not permitted in LGAs listed in the Exclusion Zone.

Table 1. Local Government Areas contained in each Harvest Zone for 2024

Central

Gippsland

Lower Wimmera

Mallee

North East

Otway

Upper Wimmera

Ballarat

Brimbank

Hepburn

Hume

Macedon Ranges

Melton

Mitchell

Moorabool

Mt Alexander

Murrindindi

Nillumbik

Whittlesea

Yarra Ranges

Bass Coast

Baw Baw

Cardinia

Casey

East Gippsland

Latrobe

Mornington Peninsula

South Gippsland

Wellington

Ararat

Central Goldfields

Gannawarra

Glenelg

Loddon

Northern Grampians

Pyrenees

Southern Grampians

Mildura

Alpine

Benalla

Campaspe

Greater Bendigo

Greater Shepparton

Indigo

Mansfield

Moira

Strathbogie

Towong

Wangaratta

Wodonga

Colac Otway

Corangamite

Golden Plains

Greater Geelong

Hobsons Bay

Moyne

Surf Coast

Warrnambool

Wyndham

Buloke

Hindmarsh

Horsham

Swan Hill

West Wimmera

Yarriambiack

Exclusion Zone (No harvesting, ATCWs only)

Banyule

Bayside

Boroondara

Greater Dandenong

Darebin

Frankston

French Island

Glen Eira

Kingston

Knox

Manningham

Maribyrnong

Maroondah

Melbourne

Moonee Valley

Merri-bek

Port Phillip

Queenscliff

Stonnington

Whitehorse

Yarra City

Where harvesting can take place from 2025-2028

From 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2028, the state is divided into 5 Harvest Zones and 1 Exclusion Zone.

Download the 2025-2028 Harvest Zones map (DOCX 161.33 KB)DOCX icon for the location of the Harvest Zones

Harvesting in 2025-2028 may only occur in the LGAs listed in Table 2

Harvesting is not permitted in LGAs listed in the Exclusion Zone.

Table 2. Local Government Areas contained in each Harvest Zone 2025-2028

Barwon South West

Grampians

Loddon Mallee

Hume

Gippsland

Colac Otway

Corangamite

Glenelg

Greater Geelong

Moyne

Southern Grampians

Surf Coast

Ararat

Ballarat

Golden Plains

Hepburn

Hindmarsh

Horsham

Moorabool

Northern Grampians

Pyrenees

West Wimmera

Yarriambiack

Buloke

Campaspe

Central Goldfields

Gannawarra

Greater Bendigo

Loddon

Macedon Ranges

Mildura

Mount Alexander

Swan Hill

Alpine

Benalla

Greater Shepparton

Indigo

Mansfield

Mitchell

Moira

Murrindindi

Strathbogie

Towong

Wangaratta

Wodonga

Bass Coast

Baw Baw

East Gippsland

Latrobe

South Gippsland

Wellington

Yarra Ranges

Exclusion Zone (No harvesting, ATCWs only)

Banyule

Bayside

Boroondara

Brimbank

Cardinia

Casey

Greater Dandenong

Darebin

Frankston

French Island

Glen Eira

Hobsons Bay

Hume

Kingston

Knox

Manningham

Maribyrnong

Maroondah

Melbourne

Melton

Monash

Moonee Valley

Mornington Peninsula

Merri-bek

Nillumbik

Port Phillip

Queenscliff

Stonnington

Whitehorse

Whittlesea

Wyndham

Yarra

A quota for the harvesting program is set each year, and allocations are released in stages throughout the year.

From this quota, harvesters in different parts of Victoria can apply for an allocation that specifies how many grey kangaroos they can harvest in any given Harvest Zone.

These allocations are strictly enforced, and non-compliance may result in the revocation of authorisation to operate. Non-compliance is subject to penalties under the Wildlife Act 1975.

To ensure the sustainability of kangaroo populations, a total recommended take (across the KHP and ATCWs) is determined. The total recommended take is set at no more than 10% of the population.

The KHP quota is based on grey kangaroo population estimates in each Harvest Zone. Harvest Zones with a higher proportion of Victoria's kangaroo population will generally have a higher quota. The predicted ATCW numbers within a Harvest Zone also affects the KHP quota.

ATCWs are considered on a case-by-case basis and not capped. Therefore, the level of take across the two programs is monitored closely. The quota allocations may be revised at the next planned release if the level of control approaches or trends above the 10% recommended maximum.

The 2024 commercial quota has been updated as of September 2024. More information on the quota update can be found on the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action website.

The 2024 quota covers 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024.

Harvest zone Total annual quota per zone
Central43,900
Gippsland9,375
Lower Wimmera28,600
Mallee0
North East5,225
Otway11,000
Upper Wimmera13,475
Statewide total (annual)111,575

Harvesters can apply for a quota allocation in any zone. The allocation will specify how many kangaroos they can harvest and in which zones. Tags (with quota ID) are then posted to harvesters for attaching to kangaroos at the time of harvesting.

Harvesters must only harvest the number of kangaroos they have been allocated tags for, and only in the zones the tags specify.

The quota releases for 2024 are provided below. The quota will be released quarterly. Any quarterly unallocated quota may be rolled into the next quarter's release.

2024 quota release

Harvest Zone

Quota released
Release 1
(Jan-Mar)

Quota released
Release 2
(Apr-Jun)

Quota released
Release 3
(Jul-Sep)

Quota released
Release 4
(Oct-Dec)

Total annual quota

Central

16,000

16,000

11,900

0

43,900

Gippsland

3,500

3,400

2,475

0

9,375

Lower Wimmera

10,000

10,000

8,600

0

28,600

Mallee

0

0

0

0

0

North East

2,250

2,000

975

0

5,225

Otway

4,050

4,000

2,950

0

11,000

Upper Wimmera

4,800

4,800

3,875

0

13,475

Active/non-active

The status of a harvester is assessed per Harvest Zone. Harvesters must demonstrate activity in the zone they are applying for quota.

Harvesters' initial status per zone for 2024 will be based on their activity in that zone throughout October- December (the last three months of 2023).

2024 active/non-active criteria

Non-active harvester:

  • a new harvester
  • a harvester who has not received an allocation of tags for the zone in the last three months.
  • a harvester who has received an allocation in the last three months for the zone but has not consumed 50% of the total tags issued to them in these three months.

Active harvester:

  • a harvester who has received an allocation of tags in the three months prior to applying for tags and has consumed at least 50% of the total tags issued to them for the zone within these three months.

2024 tag allocation rules

The tag allocation rules outlined below will apply to all harvesters for 2024.

Tag allocation rules prevent harvesters from stockpiling unused tags.

Demonstrated harvest statusMaximum tag allowance
Non-active Harvesters Maximum 50 tags, per zone
Active Harvesters Maximum 200 tags, per zone

Wherever possible, harvesters will receive the quota they have applied for, if eligible. Demand and supply constraints in some zones may mean that the quota received is less than what was applied for.

Vehicles used in harvesting, processing, storing or transporting kangaroos for pet or human food or other commercial products must be licensed with PrimeSafe.

For further information on these requirements, visit the PrimeSafe website.

To get involved in the program as a harvester, you will need to register through Service Victoria.

Please ensure you are using Chrome as your browser when registering or logging into their system.

Register with Service Victoria

Log in as an existing Service Victoria user

You will need to provide evidence of appropriate training, including:

Firearm Proficiency training

Harvesters will need to provide documented evidence of a valid Firearm Proficiency accreditation ,which includes an accuracy test undertaken every five years.

Sporting Shooters' Association of Australia (SSAA) Victoria offers the Commercial Kangaroo Firearms Proficiency Accreditation Course.

Game Harvester Skill Set

Harvesters must provide documented evidence of completing a recognised Game Harvester competency program.

PrimeSafe accreditation

Harvesters will need to provide evidence of a harvester vehicle licensed with PrimeSafe. Interstate licences from relevant meat industry regulators are accepted.

Assistance

For help registering or using the Service Victoria App, access our Guide for Harvesters Guide for Harvesters (DOCX 165.52 KB)DOCX icon

Frequently asked questions

For processor and harvester information, see the following documents:

To get involved in the KHP as a landowner, you must register through Service Victoria.

Once registered, you can request a list of authorised harvesters interested in operating in your zone.

It will be up to you to contact harvesters directly to organise a time and date for harvest.

Register as a landowner

Landowners must provide written consent to an authorised harvester to harvest grey kangaroos on their property.

Landowners should also request evidence from the harvester that they have appropriate public liability or indemnity insurance.

Download the Consent form for landowners  Consent form for landowners (DOC 715.5 KB)DOC icon

Frequently asked questions

For more information, refer to the following document:

2024

Quarter 1 Summary Report

Quarter 2 Summary Report

Quarter 3 Summary Report

2023

Kangaroo Harvesting Program 2023 Annual Summary Report

Quarter 1 Summary Report

Quarter 2 Summary Report

Quarter 3 Summary Report

2022

Kangaroo Harvesting Program - Annual Summary Report 2022

2021

Kangaroo Harvesting Program - Annual Summary Report 2021

Contact information

For all queries, complaints and concerns relating to the Kangaroo Harvesting Program, please contact :

Page last updated: 11 December 2024