You generally cannot kill kangaroos in Australia. Every state and territory classifies them as protected native wildlife, and killing one without a specific licence, permit, or recognised exemption is a criminal offense that can bring fines in the tens of thousands of dollars and, in serious cases, up to two years in prison. There are lawful routes — commercial harvesting, damage mitigation permits for landholders, government conservation culls, and traditional Aboriginal hunting — but each has its own conditions, and none of them allow a member of the public to shoot a kangaroo at will.
Kangaroos Are Protected Everywhere in Australia
Protection comes primarily from state and territory wildlife laws rather than a single national statute. New South Wales relies on the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, Victoria on the Wildlife Act 1975, Queensland on the Nature Conservation Act 1992, and other jurisdictions have their equivalents. At the federal level, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 regulates the commercial trade and export of kangaroo products and requires any harvesting for export to sit under an approved management plan.1Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 The Act’s stated objects include protecting native species and promoting biodiversity conservation.2Australasian Legal Information Institute. Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
Common kangaroo species are not listed as threatened, but protected status still applies. The rule across Australia is the same: no permit, no killing.
When Killing a Kangaroo Is Legal
Commercial Harvesting
Licensed shooters take kangaroos for meat and leather under government-approved management plans in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and Victoria.3Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Wildlife Trade Management Plans Each plan must be assessed and approved by the federal government, and approval lasts a maximum of five years before review.
Only four species can be commercially harvested: the red kangaroo, eastern grey kangaroo, western grey kangaroo, and the wallaroo (also called the euro). Some states also include specific wallaby species, such as the tammar wallaby in South Australia.4Department for Environment and Water. Commercial Kangaroo Harvesting
To harvest commercially, you need a current harvester licence issued by your state authority. Processing facilities must be registered, and every carcass must comply with the National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Commercial Purposes.5Environment and Heritage. How Commercial Harvesting Is Regulated6Australian Business Licence and Information Service. National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Commercial Purposes Anything destined for overseas markets also needs export certification from the federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.7Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Exporting Kangaroo Meat State quotas are set annually from aerial population surveys and cap the total take within designated zones.
Damage Mitigation Permits
If kangaroos are eating your crops, damaging pasture, or breaking fences, you may be able to apply for a damage mitigation permit through your state or territory wildlife authority. These permits allow a set number of animals to be killed on the applicant’s property to prevent ongoing loss.
Applications generally require you to show that kangaroos are causing or are likely to cause genuine damage and that non-lethal methods, such as fencing, are insufficient or impractical. The permit specifies how many animals may be taken, over what period, and where. In Queensland, damage mitigation is capped at 2% of the estimated population for each species per year.8Queensland Government. Harvest Macropod Damage Mitigation Permit Quota Information Shooting under the permit must still comply with the humane shooting code for non-commercial purposes.9Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water. National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Non-Commercial Purposes
Government Conservation Culls
Some jurisdictions run their own culling programs where dense kangaroo populations threaten native grasslands. The Australian Capital Territory runs annual culls in nature reserves; in 2025, the target was 2,981 kangaroos, and 2,978 were culled along with 1,194 dependent joeys. Independent scientific reviews have concluded that without active management, overgrazing would degrade the ecosystems these reserves were created to protect. These programs are carried out by government-authorised shooters, not the public.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Hunting
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have hunted kangaroos for tens of thousands of years, and state and territory wildlife legislation contains exemptions that recognise this. The scope varies by jurisdiction. In New South Wales, Aboriginal people and their dependants are exempt from prohibitions against taking protected fauna anywhere in the state for domestic purposes, excluding endangered species. In Western Australia, Aboriginal people can take fauna on Crown land or on other land with the occupier’s consent, but not for commercial sale. South Australia exempts Aboriginal people from certain restrictions on taking protected animals outside national parks, provided the animal is taken for food or cultural purposes. Restrictions typically still apply in national parks and nature reserves.
How a Lawful Kill Must Be Carried Out
Even with a valid permit, the method of killing is regulated. Australia has two national codes of practice, one for commercial and one for non-commercial shooting, and both set strict rules.9Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water. National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Non-Commercial Purposes
The central requirement is a single shot to the brain, delivered while the animal is stationary or within range for a clean hit. When a rifle is used, the shooter must aim exclusively for the brain. Shotguns, permitted in some non-commercial situations, must be aimed so the centre of the shot pattern strikes the head or chest. Shooting at any other part of the body is prohibited.
The codes also set minimum firearm calibres, ban semi-automatic rifles and subsonic ammunition, and require rifles to be fitted with a telescopic sight zeroed on an inanimate target before each shooting session. When a female is killed, the shooter must check for dependent young. Pouch joeys must be euthanised using the methods specified in the code, and there are guidelines for minimising welfare impacts on young-at-foot nearby.6Australian Business Licence and Information Service. National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Commercial Purposes
Penalties for Unlawful Killing
Killing a kangaroo without a valid permit, outside the conditions of a permit, or in a cruel manner is a criminal offense. Penalties vary by state and territory but fines and imprisonment are available everywhere.
Victoria illustrates how the numbers stack up. Unlawfully killing protected wildlife carries a penalty of up to 50 penalty units or six months imprisonment, with an additional five penalty units for each animal killed. Where the wildlife is classified as threatened, the maximum rises to 240 penalty units or 24 months imprisonment, plus 20 penalty units per animal. Aggravated cruelty charges push fines higher again. In one widely reported case, a man in northern Victoria was fined $80,000 after pleading guilty to four charges of aggravated cruelty for the inhumane killing of 71 eastern grey kangaroos on his property. When he appealed, a County Court judge warned that the penalty would likely be increased, and the appeal was abandoned. The judge also remarked that the individuals who carried out the actual shootings would face jail time if brought before the court.10Victoria State Government. Big Fine Stands for Kangaroo Cruelty
Imprisonment is a real possibility. Courts have sentenced individuals to prison for particularly brutal kangaroo killings, and maximum statutory terms of up to two years exist in multiple jurisdictions. Offenders can also lose firearms licences and face bans on keeping animals.
If You Hit a Kangaroo With Your Car or Find One Injured
Vehicle collisions with kangaroos are common in rural Australia, and this is the situation where drivers most often wonder whether they should put an injured animal down themselves. In almost all cases, you cannot. You are not legally permitted to euthanise an injured kangaroo unless you hold the appropriate authorisation.
Check the animal from a safe distance. Injured kangaroos can kick or scratch when frightened, so do not attempt to move or treat one yourself. Contact your state or territory wildlife rescue service or call the local police non-emergency line. In the ACT, injured wildlife is reported to Access Canberra on 13 22 81, available 24 hours; rangers will attend, assess the animal, and humanely euthanise it if needed. Most states run similar hotlines. If the animal is dead, check the pouch for a live joey, as rescuers may be able to raise it.