Western Australia Moves to Protect Native Dingoes

Western Australia might soon become the first Australian state to protect its native dingoes instead of poisoning them, thanks to an unlikely alliance between Indigenous leaders, environmentalists, and cattle farmers.

On Thursday, the diverse group brought their case to WA Parliament, accompanied by two dingoes to make their point. They're asking lawmakers to remove dingoes from the state's pest list and redirect funds currently used for poisoning programs toward helping farmers coexist with the native animals.

The current approach sounds brutal. Under WA biosecurity laws, dingoes face widespread poisoning with 1080 baits and strychnine traps that cause slow, painful deaths. But evidence is mounting that this war on dingoes might be backfiring.

David Pollock manages Wooleen Station, a cattle property in the Murchison region. After he stopped killing dingoes on his land, something unexpected happened. The dingoes wiped out the introduced goats that had been competing with his cattle for grass.

"I would be surprised if there was a single goat left on Wooleen," Pollock said. The dingoes also keep kangaroo numbers balanced, leaving more pasture for his cattle. Other farmers report similar benefits, especially crop growers who appreciate dingoes controlling feral pigs.

For Menang elder Aunty Carol Pettersen, the issue runs deeper than farm management. Dingoes appear in Indigenous songline stories stretching from Esperance to Warburton. Her people learned to revere dingoes as the apex of the ecology, not fear them as predators.

"We didn't see them as pests," she said. "And I was shocked to hear that people saw them as predators." Her mother taught her that dingoes would befriend humans on their own terms if treated with respect.

The Ripple Effect

The delegation isn't demanding overnight change. They're proposing a gradual shift where government funding transitions from poison programs to coexistence measures like better fencing and livestock guardian animals.

Five Aboriginal corporations have joined the effort alongside the advocacy group Defend the Wild and an organization called Landholders for Dingoes. Their diverse backgrounds show how protecting dingoes could benefit multiple groups: preserving Indigenous cultural heritage while giving farmers a natural pest control solution.

The approach mirrors successful wildlife coexistence programs worldwide, where protecting predators ultimately helps rather than harms agricultural interests. When dingoes keep herbivore populations in check, pasturelands stay healthier and more productive.

Parliament's response could set a precedent for how Australia balances agricultural needs with ecological and cultural values. Western Australia has a chance to lead the country in showing that protecting native species and supporting farmers aren't opposing goals.