The NSW Government, through the National Parks and Wildlife Service, committed $2.8 million from 2022 to 2024 to implement a rapid response delivery project to help curb wombat mange and research the effectiveness of treatments for the condition. The program included up to:
- $2 million in grants to the wildlife rehabilitation sector and Aboriginal community organisations to purchase and use the approved chemicals and equipment needed to treat mange in free-living wombats and
- $550,000 in grants to research institutions to investigate the prevalence and distribution of mange in New South Wales and the effectiveness of mange control methods.
Curb wombat mange treatment grants
The wombat mange community grants were administered by the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife. The program has closed and applications are no longer accepted.
Research funded through Curb Wombat Mange Program
Four research projects have been awarded a total of $546,147 in funding under the Curb Wombat Mange Program.
| Organisation | Project title | Chief investigator | Priority research area | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Tasmania | The landscape epidemiology of sarcoptic mange in bare-nosed wombats across New South Wales. | Dr Scott Carver | 1 | $165,807 | Completed |
| Western Sydney University | Development of a rapid and reliable non-invasive technique to identify sarcoptic mange in wombats in the field. | Associate Professor Julie Old | 1 | $102,453 | Completed |
| University of the Sunshine Coast | Evaluating the efficacy, drug resistance and ecological impacts of sarcoptic mange treatment in wombats. | Dr Kate Mounsey | 2 | $138,841 | Completed |
| University of Melbourne | Subcutaneous and pour-on pharmacokinetics of moxidectin in bare-nosed wombats. | Dr Jasmin Hufschmid | 2 | $139,045 | Estimated completion date June 2026 |
Curb Wombat Mange Program research reports
- Ringwaldt E, Richards S and Carver S (2025) A landscape view of sarcoptic mange in bare-nosed wombats across New South Wales, University of Tasmania
- Old J and Stannard H (2025) Development of a rapid and reliable non-invasive technique to identify sarcoptic mange in wombats in the field, Western Sydney University and Charles Sturt University
- Mounsey K, Harvey R, Kefford B, Brawata R, Holme R, Vermaak Y and Vandenberg R (2025) Evaluating the efficacy, drug resistance and ecological impacts of sarcoptic mange treatments in wombats, University of the Sunshine Coast
More information
- Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority
- Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife: Curb Wombat Mange Grants
- Get involved in wildlife rehabilitation
- Help a sick and injured animal
- Muru Mittigar
- National report: Australia's response to sarcoptic mange in wombats
- Video: Practical techniques in wombat mange treatment
- Sarcoptic mange in Australian wildlife fact sheet, Wildlife Health Australia (PDF 2.1MB)