Remote Field Staff Tackle Toads
Fee for Service contract has environmental and social benefits in remote area
Self sustenance - LEP_23_033_LLC_07
The issue
Cane toads continue to spread advancing both south and westwards in Northern NSW. Cane toads are toxic at all life stages and are listed as a key threatening process. Reptiles, freshwater turtles and carnivorous mammals such as quolls are particularly at risk.
The solution
The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) are responsible for managing cane toads under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 and associated regulations including the NSW Cane Toad Biosecurity Zone. Management areas within the NSW Cane toad Biosecurity Zone include the incursion management area (red area), active control area (amber area) is where current control is focused. The Clarence River has been identified as a boundary between the incursion management and active control areas.
As a result of detections made west of the Clarence River DPIRD has sought the services of contractors to undertake field work to conduct surveillance and control activities for cane toads in priority areas. In November, Border Ranges Richmond Valley Landcare Network (BRRVLN) became a contractor for DPIRD to undertake surveillance and control as part of DPIRD’s cane toad management response near Tabulam west of the Clarence River.
BRRVLN, in partnership with Granite Borders Landcare, have established a skilled team of local cane toad field officers carrying out cane toad control and surveillance 3 nights per week on remote rural properties.
The impact
Whilst this work has undoubtedly had a positive ecological outcome it is the social and economic outcome of this fee for service work that this case study explores. Since November 2025 BRRVLN have employed a total of 16 cane toad field officers to service this contract. This is in addition to 5 cane toad field officers employed by Granite Borders Landcare in the same period. The majority of these field officers live locally in Drake, Tabulam, Bonalbo and Paddy’s Flat. Data from 2021 census indicates that in Tabulam 15.5% of people aged 15 and over were unemployed compared to the state unemployment rate of 4.9%. Field officers work in teams of 2 or more at night 3 days per week.
Field officers have expressed great job satisfaction liking the outdoor work contributing positively to the local environment. In submitting hours for each shift field officers rate their satisfaction out of 10 with 90% of entries to date rated as 8/10 or above.
Learnings
- Employing locals has increased flexibility of response
- Good HR and OHS processes are critical – accidents can and do happen in remote field works situations
- Landcare Networks working together achieve great outcome
Key facts
- 2 Networks employed a total of 20 rural field staff
- Fee for Service contract contributes to income diversification
- Landcare provides social, economic and environmental outcomes