Farmers like Michael Beecher, whose property borders the Great Otway National Park, are experiencing firsthand the devastating consequences. Kangaroos and deer are systematically ruining fences, necessitating costly repairs, and voraciously consuming pasture intended for livestock. Beecher also highlights a disturbing increase in road accidents involving kangaroos, underscoring the broader impact on rural safety. This uncontrolled population growth poses a grave threat to dairy herd management and feed security.

Further exemplifying the crisis, Jamie Vogels, a dairy farmer at Scotts Creek, faces an immense challenge with a kangaroo population that has more than doubled due to a nearby timber plantation. Hundreds of these animals are wrecking fences and depleting his pastures. Additionally, deer are causing damage by ring-barking native trees on his farm, indicating a multifaceted ecological threat that extends beyond just grazing competition and directly impacts dairy farm infrastructure.

Recognizing the escalating problem, Jamie Vogels, also serving as a Corangamite Shire councillor, has vociferously advocated for policy changes. He proposes that planning permits for blue gum plantations should mandate conditions such as proper fencing to contain wildlife. His advocacy underscores the critical need for integrated land management strategies to prevent such conflicts between forestry operations and productive agricultural land, a vital point for regional dairy economies.