With Kangaroo numbers reported to be on the rise in the region from Bourke to Coonabarabran, the NSW Government is preparing to undertake extensive surveys with possible culls on the horizon.

NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water shows that the number of red kangaroos in the Bourke region doubled from 117,965 in 2020 to 247,951 at last year's count. 

The number of grey kangaroos also lifted from 2020 levels from 41501 to 48158 in 2023 but way down on the 2001 record of 1,220,802.

The number of red kangaroos in the Coonabarabran region more than doubled to 303,529 in 2023. But there was a drop in grey kangaroos by 41% to 611,307 between 2022-23.

This reflects an annual survey by the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries found the estimated kangaroo population rose by almost a million in one year between 2021 and 2002.

Aerial surveys estimate the density of kangaroos in an area and then multiply it by the number of kilometres in the management zone

This is still down from a peak number of 17 million state-wide in 2016.

The 2017-19 El Niño period saw kangaroo populations saw declines of up to 25 per cent in some years.

Cobar reflects this statistic, with 405,579 grey kangaroos recorded in 2016 dropping down to 7317 in 2019 and in 2023 it was 32,321. There are an estimated 106,443 red kangaroos in that region.

Red, western grey and eastern grey kangaroos are all commercially harversted across the region.

The commercial harvest of kangaroos in NSW is restricted to distinct zones and quotas limit the number of kangaroos of each species that may be harmed commercially.

The NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water will conduct routine annual kangaroo surveys across the Western Plains of New South Wales during June and July 2024.

Fixed-wing aircraft will be flying at 300 feet above ground level over 5 survey weeks across the following regions:

• Week 1 (3 to 7 June 24) – North East (includes Brewarrina, Moree, Coonabarabran, Nyngan and Dubbo)
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• Week 2 (10 to 14 June 24) – North West (includes Tibooburra, White Cliffs, Bourke, Cobar, Menindee and Broken Hill)
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• Week 3 (17 to 21 June 24) – South East (includes Condobolin, Griffith, Deniliquin, Mildura, Albury and Wagga Wagga)

Kangaroos have been commercially harvested in New South Wales for over 45 years.