Safety and feral animals
Feral pigs
Feral pigs occur throughout Queensland, including on large islands such as Moreton Island. They can chase and attack people. If you see a feral pig, stay well away from it.
Feral pigs can also carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans, including Murray Valley encephalitis and Ross River fever.
Feral pigs will eat almost anything, and are attracted by the smell of people's food, rubbish, bait and fish offal. Around campsites, feral pigs learn to scavenge for food. To discourage feral pigs from campsites, please make sure that you:
- Never feed feral pigs as it encourages them to hang around campsites.
- Keep food in strong lockable containers. Feral pigs will eat anything, including bread and biscuits.
- Keep bait in sealed containers and bury fish offal below the high tide mark to a depth of 50cm.
- Pack away rubbish in secure containers. Feral pigs will find and scatter rubbish left around camps.
- Keep your campsite tidy. This makes it uninviting for feral pigs.
Please tell QPWS rangers if you see feral pigs near campsites in the national or conservation parks.
Feral cattle, horses and buffaloes
Feral cattle and horses may be seen in many remote areas. Water buffaloes occur across far northern Australia, including on Cape York and far northern Queensland. Feral cattle, buffaloes and horses may trample campsites, injuring people and damaging equipment. Buffaloes have attacked and killed people in the Northern Territory and cattle have charged people. If you see feral cattle or buffaloes in national or conservation parks, stay well away. Please report any sightings of feral cattle or buffaloes near campsites to QPWS rangers.