Commercial harvesting allows landholders to engage a licensed harvester to remove kangaroos from their properties.
Only people who are licensed by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water with a Kangaroo Harvester Licence granted under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (BC Act) may harvest kangaroos and sell the carcasses.
Kangaroos must be harvested in accordance with licence conditions and the National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Commercial Purposes.
Regulations
Regulations for the commercial harvesting of kangaroos include the following.
Licensing policy
The department's approach to licensing commercial harvesting and dealing in kangaroos is outlined in the licensing policy. This includes licence types, the criteria for issuing licences, circumstances in which licences may need to be suspended or cancelled and related matters.
Licensing
Only people who are licensed by the department and have a current professional or landholder kangaroo harvester licence may harvest kangaroos and sell the carcasses. Kangaroos must be shot in accordance with the National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Commercial Purposes.
Selling
Carcasses must only be sold to a department-licensed Kangaroo Dealer. Carcasses must only be transported on vehicles approved by the NSW Food Authority and stored in chillers licensed by the NSW Food Authority and premises registered by the department.
Landholder consent
Landholder permission must be obtained each year to harvest kangaroos on a property. This is done by the landholder completing a landholder consent form. This consent form must be assessed and approved by the Kangaroo Management Program prior to the commencement of any harvesting. The landholder consent form is available on our Licence conditions, fees and forms page.
Public liability
Public liability insurance is the responsibility of the landholder and the harvester. The department has no role in regulating public liability.
Types of kangaroo harvester licences
Kangaroo harvester licences are valid until 31 December in the year of issue.
There are 2 types of kangaroo harvester licences that permit the commercial harvesting of kangaroos:
- Professional Kangaroo Harvester Licence
- Landholder Kangaroo Harvester Licence.
An individual must satisfy the following requirements for the department to grant a Professional Kangaroo Harvester Licence:
- a valid driver’s licence
- a valid firearms licence
- successful completion of the accreditation course (AMPGAM303 Use Firearms To Safely and Humanely Harvest Wild Game) for kangaroo harvesters provided by a Registered Training Organisation authorised to deliver that training. 'Registered Training Organisation' has the same meaning as in the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (Cth)
- successful completion of the Statement of Attainment 901-00080 – Game Harvester Skill Set through Open Training and Education Network (OTEN) TAFE (a requirement of NSW Food Authority to meet food hygiene standards).
If granted a licence, harvesters must obtain written consent each calendar year from a landholder or authorised delegate. The completed landholder consent form must be submitted to NSW Kangaroo Management for assessment. No harvesting can occur on a property until this consent is received and approved.
Licence conditions, annual costs and relevant forms for professional kangaroo harvester licences are available on our Licence, fees and forms page.
Landholders can apply for a Commercial Harvester (Kangaroo) Landholder Licence if they want to harm kangaroos on their own property and sell the carcass.
This licence differs from the Commercial Harvester (Kangaroo) Professional Licence in that the licensee is restricted to using commercial tags on properties they own or occupy within the commercial kangaroo management zone. The licensee cannot harvest kangaroos on other properties within the zone or other commercial zones.
The training requirements for a Commercial Harvester (Kangaroo) Landholder Licence are the same as for a Commercial Harvester (Kangaroo) Professional Licence.
As part of their application, landholders must submit the correct annual landholder consent form to confirm the details of the properties they own or occupy where they intend to undertake commercial harvesting activities. No harvesting can occur on the property until the consent is approved by the NSW Kangaroo Management Program.
Licence conditions, annual costs and relevant forms for Commercial Harvester (Kangaroo) Landholder Licences are available on our Licence, fees and forms page.
Each kangaroo carcass must be tagged with a tag purchased from the commercial program so the carcasses can be sold to an Animal Dealer (Kangaroo) Licence holder. The tag shows the carcasses were harvested in accordance with the requirements of the NSW Commercial Kangaroo Harvest Management Plan and the conditions of a Commercial Harvester (Kangaroo) Licence.
After your commercial harvester licence application and landholder consents have been approved, you are eligible to purchase tags for use within a commercial kangaroo management zone.
Applying for commercial tags
Licenced commercial harvesters apply for tags for specific kangaroo species in specific kangaroo management zones. Tags can be used on any property within that zone for which you have landholder consent approved by NSW Kangaroo Management to harvest kangaroos for commercial purposes. Tags must be used within the Commercial Tag Advice start and expiry dates.
Tags are issued with a Commercial Tag Advice, which will state:
- the start and expiry dates for the tag range (which can be up to 4 calendar months from the date of purchase or 31 December if purchased towards the end of the calendar year)
- the commercial kangaroo management zone where the tags are to be used
- the Commercial Harvester (Kangaroo) Licence details
- the approved species and number to be harmed.
Within zones, the quota is usually allocated on a 'first in, first served' basis. The quantity of tags available to a harvester is dependent on the number of species, the available quota and the number of hectares available to the harvester within the commercial kangaroo management zone (as determined by the size of the properties within that zone for which the harvester has obtained landholder consent).
A delegated department officer assesses each application and may contact a landholder for clarification if there is concern about any of the information provided on a landholder consent form.
Commercial tags must be purchased from the Kangaroo Management Program Team of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. You can purchase tags by applying online or by completing and submitting an application form. Commercial tag costs are listed on our Licence conditions, fees and forms page.
You can find monthly tag allocations and commercial take reports, and more information on tag allocations and commercial takes, in each year's annual report.
All licences are granted with conditions. Under the BC Act, it is an offence to contravene a condition of a licence.
Commercial kangaroo harvesting licences are granted on an annual basis and the conditions are subject to change. Current conditions can be viewed on the Licence conditions fee and forms page.
Licensing policy
The department’s approach to licensing commercial harvesting and dealing in kangaroos is outlined in the licensing policy. This includes licence types, the criteria for issuing licences, circumstances in which licences may need to be suspended or cancelled and related matters.
Apply for a licence
Professional and landholder harvester licences are granted on a calendar year basis.
Online
Use the Wildlife Management System (WMS) to apply online for a Commercial Harvester (Kangaroo) licence.
Information and guides about applying online can be found at Support and resources.
If you are unable to use the online system, contact the Kangaroo Management Program to discuss other options. Please see our Licence conditions, fees and forms page. You may also apply by downloading, completing and submitting the relevant forms by:
- email: kangaroo.management@environment.nsw.gov.au
- post: Kangaroo Management Program, Reply Paid 2111, Dubbo NSW 2830.