Monday 13 February

15:30 Registration Desk Opens
16:00 Welcome and Acknowledgement of Country Kath Broderick, MC
16:05 Introductions and aspirations Susan Hunt & Judy Dunlop, WA Feral Cat Working Group
16:10 Creating a future for endangered species – Collaborative research into feral cat management Tony Buckmaster, Centre for Invasive Species Solutions
16:20  Feral/stray/pet: Definitions matter when managing cats Jenni Loveland, Oyster Harbour Catchment Group
16:24  Challenges in achieving humane and effective feral cat control Talia Morgan, RSPCA Australia
16:28  Assessment of feral cats in Dryandra, Western Australia Heather Crawford, Murdoch University
16:32   Managing feral cats in a multi-tenure landscape Jeff Pinder, Bush Heritage Australia
18:00   Close

Tuesday 14 February

08:00 Registration Desk Opens
09:00  Welcome Kath Broderick, MC
09:05   Welcome to Noongar Country Brett Collard, Dooga Waalitj Healing
09:20   Opening address Julie Quinn, Office of the Threatened Species Commissioner
09:30   Progressing cat management in WA, the last four years Jane O’Malley, Peel-Harvey Catchment Council / Bruce Webber WA Biodiversity Science Institute
09:40   NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub Sarah Legge, Australian National University/Charles Darwin University
09:55   30 Years of feral cat management in WA Dave Algar, Biodiversity Conservation Science
10:10   Questions for plenary speakers
10:20    Morning tea
10:50  Looking after threatened species and controlling cats: the Anangu way Jodie Ward, Kiwirrkurra IPA
11:05  Protecting Threatened Species On Ngururrpa Country Angie Reid,  Ngururrpa rangers 
11:15   Do feral megaherbivores facilitate feral cat activity in high-rainfall savannas? Georgina Neave, Charles Darwin University
11:25   Questions for speakers
11:35   How should we talk about cats? Insights from recent public polling and focus group research James Trezise, Invasive Species Council
11:45   Effective management needs to be more than just numbers, you need a plan Gillian Basnett. Centre for Invasive Species Solutions
11:55   Meeting in the middle: Managing stray cat populations in Australia Heather Crawford, Murdoch University
12:05   Feral cats – Community engagement across a landscape Cynthia Schaap, Landcare Tasmania
12:15   Questions for speakers
12:25   Lunch
13:25   ‘Herding Cats’: Challenges and opportunities of individual variablity in managing cats John Read, Thylation group
13:40   AI and automation for cat monitoring Trish Fleming, Murdoch University
13:55   Questions for plenary speakers
14:05   Feral cat management and environmental approvals Graham Thompson, Terrestrial Ecosystems

14:15   Potential for improving feral cat baiting efficiency by integrating habitat selection data Ned Ryan-Schofield, Bush Heritage Australia
14:25   Immunocontraceptives for feral cat control in Australia Ellen Cottingham, University of Melbourne
14:35   Developing pipelines for vertebrate genetic biocontrol Stephen Frankenberg, University of Melbourne
14:45   Questions for speakers
14:55   Afternoon tea
15:40   Western Shield: Landscape scale feral cat management Ashley Millar, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
15:45   A comparison of toxic baits for feral cat and fox control in southwest Western Australia: An adaptive management experiment testing the effectiveness of cat management in complex management areas Michelle Drew, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
15:50   Feral cats, Kyloring [Western Ground Parrot] and conservation on the south coast of WA Abby Thomas, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
16:00   The use of artificial refuges by small vertebrates after prescribed fire Darcy Watchorn, Deakin University
16:10   A neighbourhood approach to feral cat management to protect Numbats in Dryandra Woodland Christine Townsend, Peel-Harvey Catchment Council
16:20   Dryandra Woodland National Park life after feral cats Peter Lacey, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
16:26   Intensive adoption as a management strategy for unowned, urban cats Michael Calver, Murdoch University
16:32   Here kitty-kitty: Lure choice for predator attraction in a temperate rainforest Alexandra Paton, University of Tasmania
16:38   Questions for speakers
16:50   End, free time
18:00   Conference Dinner
18:45   Address from Tim Allard  AWC

Wednesday 15 February

08:00 Registration Desk Opens
09:00  Welcome Kath Broderick, MC

09:05   Guest speaker Hon Reece Whitby MLA, Minister for Environment; Climate Action
09:15   The journey of a WA local council in changing cat ownership laws Adin Lang, City of Fremantle
09:30   Gene technology and its potential for pest control Paul Thomas, The University of Adelaide
09:45   Questions for plenary speakers
09:55   Morning tea
10:25   Trialling the use of Felixers on the Birriliburu Indigenous Protected Area Stella Shipway, Birriliburu Rangers: Delston Ashwin and Tremaine Anderson
10:40   Cats on country – The journey of Nyangumarta Rangers managing cats on their country Jacob Loughridge, Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corperation
10:55   The importance of flexibility and persistence in feral cat management Amanda Bourne, Australian Wildlife Conservancy
11:05   Managing feral cats to protect the Central Rock-rat Alistair Stewart, Northern Territory Department of Environment Parks and Water Security
11:15   Questions for speakers
11:25   Cats are attracted to successful conservation efforts Hugh McGregor, Nature Foundation
11:35   Efficacy of targeted cat control at Yampi Sound Training Area Braden Riles, Australian Wildlife Conservancy
11:45   Testing the use of Felixer- grooming traps to control cats in the jarrah forest of Western Australia Brian Chambers, South West Catchments Council
11:55   What is the temporal and spatial scale of impacts of a novel feral cat control method on cat activity? Michelle Hall, Bush Heritage Australia
12:05   Felixer Feral Cat Grooming Trap trials in the presence of Northern Quolls in the Pilbara region of Western Australia Todd Edwards, Fortescue Metals Group
12:10   Questions for speakers
12:20   Lunch
13:20   Managing predator impacts for a resilient landscape Guy Ballard, Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, Department of Primary industry NSW
13:35   A day in the life of ……… Understanding feral cat behaviour to improve cat control and inform predator thresholds Katherine Moseby, University of New South Wales
13:50   Questions for plenary speakers
14:00   Feral cat responses to fire: new field data and a review Tim Doherty, The University of Sydney
14:10   The curious cat: Feral cat activity at artificial refuges Tenaya Duncan, Murdoch University
14:20   The ecology of feral cats on the south coast of Western Australia Sarah Comer, University of Western Australia / Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
14:30   Monitoring and managing feral cats in an arid landscape Cheryl Lohr, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
14:40   Questions for speakers
14:50   Setting the scene for failure: Victorian feral cat legislation, social license dimensions and the French Island feral cat eradication project Michael Johnston, Environmental Consultant
15:00   Towards a feral cat free Kangaroo Island James Smith, Kangaroo Island Landscape Board
15:10   A case study: Improving the efficiency of feral cat control in one of Australia’s special places Paul Jennings, Kangaroo Island Landscape Board
15:16   Feral cat impacts on a threatened endemic marsupial in the wake of the Black Summer Bushfires – NGO response to protect the Kangaroo Island dunnart Pat Hodgens, Terrain Ecology
15:22   Questions for speakers
15:42   Afternoon tea

15:45   Optional bus departs to Karakamia Sanctuary for night stalk
17:05   BBQ dinner at Karakamia
19:30   Sunset16:10

30 YEARS OF FERAL CAT MANAGEMENT IN WA

We have designed and developed a number of techniques to control feral cats. Thirty years ago, a reintroduction program of Burrowing Bettongs (Bettongia lesueur) and Golden Bandicoots (Isoodon auratus) to the Gibson Desert, failed due to feral cat predation. We were then asked to develop a bait that could be deployed aerially over broad-scale areas. The bait needed to be attractive to feral cats; capable of carrying a toxin and relatively easily and cheaply manufactured. This work resulted in development of the Eradicat bait, registered in Western Australia in 2015. The bait has since been submitted for national registration. We have also developed trapping techniques to sample the target population and provide a thorough understanding of all aspects of cat biology. We have also examined methods to monitor control efficacy.

This presentation includes feral cat control on the mainland and off-shore islands, work that has made a significant contribution to conservation in Western Australia and elsewhere. Consequently, DBCA is recognised both nationally and internationally in the development of control strategies for feral cats.