How quotas are set
To ensure sustainable kangaroo populations, the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research (ARI) recommends that no more than 10 per cent of Victoria’s kangaroo population should be controlled each year across both the Kangaroo Harvesting Program (KHP) and the Authority to Control Wildlife (ATCW) system.
The quota for each harvest zone is set by:
- using the kangaroo population estimates from the most recent kangaroo survey to determine the recommended maximum level of control. In Victoria, we set this at no more than 10 per cent of the population
- estimated level of kangaroo control through ATCW permits and then;
- deducting the estimated ATCWs from the maximum recommended level of take.
The difference between the recommended maximum level of control, and the estimated ATCW levels is assigned to the KHP as quota.
The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) regularly survey Victoria's kangaroo population and use that information to set annual quotas for the KHP. More information on Victorias kangaroo population surveys can be found at Victorian kangaroo surveys and population estimates.
2024 quota
The KHP quota for each Harvest Zone is shown below. More information can be found in the Kangaroo Harvest Quotas for Victoria, 2024 report at the bottom of this page.
| Zone | 2024 maximum quota |
|---|---|
| Central | 61,700 |
| Gippsland | 13,700 |
| North East | 8,100 |
| Otway | 15,350 |
| Lower Wimmera | 39,000 |
| Mallee | 0 |
| Upper Wimmera | 17,800 |
| TOTAL | 155,650 |
Where harvesting can take place from 2024-2025
From 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024 harvesting can occur in 58 of Victoria's 79 local government areas (LGAs), which are grouped into 7 harvest zones across Victoria. These are Central, Gippsland, North East, Lower Wimmera, Mallee, Otway and Upper Wimmera.
The map below shows the location of the harvest zones.
Harvesting may only occur in the LGAs listed in Table 1.
Harvesting is not permitted in LGAs listed in the Exclusion Zone, however, kangaroo control may still be undertaken in these areas with an ATCW permit.
| Central | Gippsland | North East | Otway | Lower Wimmera | Mallee | Upper Wimmera |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballarat | Bass Coast | Alpine | Colac Otway | Ararat | Mildura | Buloke |
| Brimbank | Baw Baw | Benalla | Corangamite | Central Goldfields | Hindmarsh | |
| Hepburn | Cardinia | Campaspe | Golden Plains | Gannawarra | Horsham | |
| Hume | Casey | Greater Bendigo | Greater Geelong | Glenelg | Swan Hill | |
| Macedon Ranges | East Gippsland | Greater Shepparton | Hobsons Bay | Loddon | West Wimmera | |
| Melton | Latrobe | Indigo | Moyne | Northern Grampians | Yarriambiak | |
| Mitchell | Mornington Peninsula | Mansfield | Surf Coast | Pyrenees | ||
| Moorabool | South Gippsland | Moira | Warnambool | Southern Grampians | ||
| Mount Alexander | Wellington | Strathbogie | Wyndham | |||
| Murrindindi | Towong | |||||
| Nillumbik | Wangaratta | |||||
| Whittlesea | Wodonga | |||||
| Yarra Ranges | ||||||
| Exclusion Zone (No harvesting, ATCWs only) | ||||||
| Banyule | Greater Dandenong | Maroondah | Merri-bek | French Island | Knox | Stonnington |
| Bayside | Darebin | Melbourne | Port Phillip | Glen Eira | Manningham | Whitehorse |
| Boroondara | Frankston | Moonee Valley | Queenscliff | Kingston | Maribyrnong | Yarra City |
Where harvesting can take place from 2025-2028
From 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2028 the Harvest Zones will be adjusted to exclude a further 10 LGAs from the KHP. Harvesters will be able to operate in 47 of Victoria's 79 LGAs, which will be grouped into 5 Harvest Zones across Victoria.
The expansion of the Exclusion Zone has been determined based on:
- the Melbourne urban growth boundary
- comparative levels of harvesting activity and approved control under the ATCW system
- ecological considerations
- existing LGA borders
The map below shows the location of the Harvest Zones.
Harvesting may only occur in the LGAs listed in table 2.
Harvesting is not permitted in LGAs listed in the Exclusion Zone, however, kangaroo control may still be undertaken in these areas with an ATCW permit.
| Barwon South-West | Grampians | Loddon Mallee | Hume | Gippsland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colac Otway | Ararat | Buloke | Alpine | Bass Coast |
| Corangamite | Ballarat | Campaspe | Benalla | Baw Baw |
| Glenelg | Golden Plains | Central Goldfields | Greater Shepperton | East Gippsland |
| Greater Geelong | Hepburn | Gannawarra | Indigo | Latrobe |
| Moyne | Hindmarsh | Greater Bendigo | Mansfield | South Gippsland |
| Southern Grampians | Horsham | Loddon | Mitchell | Wellington |
| Surf Coast | Moorabool | Macedon Ranges | Moira | Yarra Ranges |
| Northern Grampians | Mildura | Murrindindi | ||
| Pyrenees | Mount Alexander | Strathbogie | ||
| West Wimmera | Swan Hill | Towong | ||
| Yarriambiak | Wangaratta | |||
| Wodonga | ||||
| Exclusion Zone (No harvesting, ATCWs only) | ||||
| Banyule | Darebin | Knox | Moonee Valley | Queenscliff |
| Bayside | Frankston | Manningham | Mornington Peninsula | Stonnington |
| Boroondara | French Island | Maribyrnong | Merri-bek | Whitehorse |
| Brimbank | Glen Eira | Maroondah | Nillumbik | Whittlesea |
| Cardinia | Hobsons Bay | Melbourne | Port Phillip | Wyndham |
| Casey | Hume | Melton | Yarra | |
| Greater Dandenong | Kingston | Monash | ||
Quota reports
Each year ARI prepares Kangaroo Harvest Quotas for Victoria report with recommendations for the following year’s KHP quota. These reports provide information on the science used to calculate quotas.
ARI reports and other information can be found below.
More information
Landholders can apply to the Conservation Regulator for an ATCW permit to control kangaroos. Unlike the KHP, carcasses in the ATCW system cannot be sold.
If the Conservation Regulator is satisfied that control of the wildlife is necessary, an ATCW permit will be issued for a specified period and for a specified number of animals. Each ATCW specifies the species of wildlife that can be controlled and the method of control that can be used.
To ensure the sustainability of kangaroo populations, DEECA regularly monitor the number of kangaroos taken through both systems and can make adjustments to the program if required.
This could include reducing or suspending the KHP quota or suspension of harvest altogether. Any changes to the quota will be updated on this webpage and harvesters will be notified.
Commercial harvesting of kangaroos is relatively new in Victoria, beginning in October 2019.
To ensure the sustainability of our kangaroo populations and monitor the impact of harvesting, the Victorian Government has deliberately taken a conservative approach to the commercial harvesting of kangaroos. Victoria is committed to ensuring that no more than 10 per cent of our kangaroo population is taken annually across both the ATCW system and the KHP.
Our lower harvest quota reflects the cautious approach we are taking as we gain more insight about how Victoria’s kangaroo populations respond to harvesting.
Page last updated: 03/01/24