Zones and quotas

The Queensland Government population estimate for the three commercially exploited Kangaroo species in 2024, was 19,948,800, up from 17,727,700 in 2023, and up from 16,267,200 in 2022.

2025 Quota: Total commercial quota for Queensland in 2025 is 2,941,550, a significant increase  from 2024 when the quota was 2,486,400 and again up from 2,210,400 in 2023.

The 2024 Kangaroo population estimates for Queensland provide the data for the 2025 commercial quotas for three species of Macropods. With the largest population of Kangaroos, Queensland kills the most Kangaroos for commercial gain when compared to other Australian states. Queensland Government Kangaroo population estimates remain far too high, reflected in actual take against quota for both commercial and damage mitigation permits (DMPs).

What was extraordinary and demonstrates how absurd the 2024 Queensland Kangaroo population estimates and subsequent quotas for 2025 were, was that the Queensland quota for 2025 was more than double the actual take in all Australia (mainland) in 2024.

The actual take in all mainland Australia across all states and Kangaroo and Wallaby species being exploited commercially was 1,316,573, against an original quota of 4,953,552 for that year. In 2025 the Nature Knowledge Channel’s full year forecast for all the Australian mainland, including Queensland is 1,291,500 against a full year quota of 6,234,292. Bounties are now being offered in some states to kill more Kangaroos and this may have a slight impact on actual take in 2025.

In Queensland the quotas for the commercial exploitation of Kangaroos are set at between 10 and 20 per cent.

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Kangaroos are shot for commercial gain across five shooting zones:

Zone 1

Boulia, Burke, Carpentaria, Cloncurry, Diamantina, Mount Isa.

Zone 2

Barcaldine, Barcoo, Blackall-Tambo, Flinders, Longreach, McKinlay, Richmond, Winton.

Zone 3

Bulloo, Murweh, Paroo, Quilpie.

Zone 4

Balonne, Goondiwindi, Maranoa, Western Downs.

Zone 5

Banana, Bundaberg, Burdekin, Central Highlands, Charters Towers, Croydon, Etheridge, Gladstone, Isaac, Livingstone, Lockyer Valley, Mackay, North Burnett, Rockhampton, Scenic Rim, Somerset, South Burnett, Southern Downs, Toowoomba, Whitsunday.

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Species subject to commercial exploitation in 2025

Three species on Macropod are currently shot for commercial gain. These are:

• Red Kangaroo (Osphranter rufus);
• Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus); and
• Eastern Wallaroo (Osphranter robustus).

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Kangaroo population surveys in Queensland

“Today annual aerial surveys are conducted over 22 fixed monitoring blocks, covering an area of 136,000km² (Figure 1). In each helicopter survey block, between two to eight east-west running 50–90km transect lines have been placed systematically 10km apart”. Queensland Government

“Due to the costs and logistics associated with conducting helicopter aerial surveys over 22 monitor blocks, not all monitor blocks are surveyed on an annual basis. To ensure adequate coverage of the harvest area in Queensland and to enable accurate tracking of population trends, all blocks are surveyed at least once every two years". Queensland Government

In the inflated world of estimating Kangaroo populations the Nature Knowledge Channel regards Queensland to have the highest level of inflated populations of any other mainland state in Australia.

Pretence that the commercial exploitation of Kangaroos in Queensland is humane, is sustainable, is predicated on a range of circumstances which include reference to actual take in previous years, are all in the nonsense category.

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Weights and measure

There is no minimum whole weight for the carcass of a commercially exploited Kangaroo, neither a minimum area of skin.

“Queensland’s Macropod Management Program aims to ensure the conservation of the species and their habitat in a way that supports ecologically sustainable harvesting”. Queensland Government

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Actual take: 1 January to 1 August 2025

Zone 1 – 2 species shot

• Actual 16,957 against quota of 103,850

Zone 2 – 3 species shot

• Actual 113,245 against quota of 1,034,550

Zone 3 – 3 species shot

• Actual 52,199 against quota of 369,800

Zone 4 – 3 species shot

• Actual 112,381against quota of 900,300

Zone 5 – 3 species shot

• Actual 40,985 against quota of 533,050

Total actual so far is 335,767 against full year quota of 2,941,550

The Nature Knowledge full year forecast for actual take for Queensland in 2025 remains at 585,000 or 20 per cent of original quota.

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War games and species of least concern

“The Australian Defence Force (ADF) may get permission to access certain state-managed lands to conduct military survival exercises. These uses of parks and forests are carefully regulated to ensure that they do not impact on the conservation or management values of the area”. Queensland Government

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Damage mitigation permits (DMPs): 1 January to 30 June 2025

The small number of DMPs issued against quota tell a very powerful story, so why are the Queensland and Commonwealth Governments of Australia not able to understand what the numbers are telling them? It is not possible to kill Kangaroos that don’t exist.

Number Kangaroos (3 commercially exploited species only) covered by DMPs issued in the period:

• Zone 1 – 0 against a full year quota of 20,766;
• Zone 2 – 7,890 against a full year quota of 115,352;
• Zone 3 – 700 against a full year quota of 16,780;
• Zone 4 – 6,025 against a full year quota of 115,739; and
• Zone 5 – 5,714 against a full year quota of 106,599.

Total number of animals covered by permits issued in the period was 20,329 against a total quota in the 5 shooting zones of 375,236, just 5.4 per cent of full year quota.

We don’t of course know the actual outcome.

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