There are consistent and worrying reports of motor vehicle accidents caused by interactions with feral deer.
To reduce the risk to motorists the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning has arranged for two virtual fences to be been installed along the Mt Buller Road, near Sawmill Settlement, and the Great Alpine Road, near Harrietville, to deter deer and potentially other native wildlife from crossing the road when a vehicle approaches at night.
The virtual fence is activated by car headlights and an ultrasonic sound and blue flashing light is emitted into vegetation beside the road, deterring deer from crossing and colliding with vehicles. This system has also been used in Tasmania. This work has been funded from the Victorian Deer Control Strategy and it will be interesting to see how these work. It doesn’t get rid of deer but hopefully reduces the impact on motorists while feral deer control continues.
