Project Kimberley

When field operations began in 2006, the Foundation’s main aim was to prevent cane toads from invading Western Australia. During the 2006-2010 Great Toad Musters, STTF, with the help of hundreds of volunteers, removed 175,000 cane toads heading towards WA, but was not able to entirely prevent them from entering the State.

In 2011, The Foundation decided to change its strategy of toad control to protect specific high biodiversity areas and create sanctuary zones for native wildlife using exclusion fences in The Kimberley. The Emma Gorge Sanctuary Project was created in collaboration with El Questro Wilderness Park and the Australian Geographic Society.

Directing the evolution of STTF’s cane toad control strategy are two governing documents; The Federal Government’s Threat Abatement Plan (TAP) and The State Government’s State Cane Toad Strategy (SCTS). Both documents acknowledge that there is a need to move away from broad-scale control and eradication to the protection of key biodiversity assets, and that community action is still an important part of minimising the toads’ impact.

The Foundation has now turned its focus to science and supporting research, rather than manual control. STTF is working in collaboration with chief scientists Sean Doody, Colin McHenry and Simon Clulow on Project Kimberley to find a scientific solution to the cane toad issue.

STTF relies on government grants, donations and fundraising activities to carry out the Foundation’s aims. STTF is extremely grateful for the support they have received from both State and Federal Government’s and the corporate sector, but in particular, private donors. STTF would like to thank Jane Fenwick who helped get Project Kimberley off the ground.

STTF now stands at the end of their eighth year of operations. Even though STTF’s strategy to combat toads has changed, their vision has not. STTF will continue to do what they can to protect the biodiversity of WA from the cane toad.