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Livestock includes animals such as cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, camels, goats, deer, llamas etc.

Can I keep livestock?

  • Your property must be zoned rural under Council’s Planning Scheme and have a minimum land size of 4,000m2. If this is not your property, you must apply for a permit.
  • To keep livestock, you must have a minimum of 800m2 of unencumbered land (land free of buildings and dams) for each animal.
  • The same requirements apply for keeping miniature breeds.

Permit types and requirements

Prohibitions on keeping stock

  • Keeping pigs on land less than 2,000m2 or in a residential area is prohibited.

No permit required

  • Keeping stock (e.g. cattle, sheep etc.) on land 4,000m2 or more and designated rural or a similar designation to rural in the Ipswich Planning Scheme.

Permit required

  • Keeping stock on land 2,000m2 or more in a residential zoned area.
  • Keeping stock on land between 2,000m2 and 4,000m2 and zoned rural under Council’s Planning Scheme.
  • Keeping pigs on land between 2,000m2 and 4,000m2 and zoned rural under Council’s Planning Scheme.

Permit applications

What are my responsibilities for keeping livestock?

All livestock owners are responsible for the animals on their property. The must ensure:

  • manure and urine does not cause a nuisance
  • all feed must be stored in a vermin proof manner
  • all animals must not cause a noise, odour or fly nuisance
  • all animals must be confined to the property at all times and adequate fencing must be in place
  • adequate fencing for your animals should be:
    • wooden posts and four strands of barbed wire for cattle
    • wooden posts with wire mesh attached to barbed wire fencing for sheep and goats
  • grazing behaviour of stock kept on land must not cause or be likely to cause damage to neighbouring property
  • reasonable measures must be taken if stock is damaging fencing or a neighbouring property to effectively isolate the stock from the property at risk (e.g construction of a fence that achieves a three metre set-back from affected property boundaries). These measures must be to the satisfaction of a Council Animal Management Officer
  • It is important not to forget your animals during an emergency or disaster event. For more information see Caring for Animals in an Emergency. For a handy and downloadable checklist, check out the Pet Emergency Plan.

How do I make a complaint about nuisance livestock?

Roaming Livestock

If there are roaming livestock and you know the owner, speak to the owner first to report the roaming livestock.

Contact Council

If there is a roaming livestock issue in your area or you believe a property has excess livestock, you can make a request to Council to investigate by following the steps below:

1. Have the following information ready:

  • What is the issue (e.g roaming)?
  • Where are the livestock currently?
  • Provide any distinguishing features of the animal/s (e.g type of animal, colour, sex, branding or ear tag details if present)
  • Number of livestock involved
  • Do you know who the owner is (name and/or address)?
  • Your details (this complaint cannot be lodged anonymously)

2. Contact Council by one of the methods below:

Please note: Council keeps complete and comprehensive records in the event that legal action is taken.  All parties including the complainant and other witnesses may be asked to attend court to provide evidence.  Personal information is only given out when it is directed by law to do so.

Lost or impounded livestock

Lost or found animals

If you have lost an animal, or you have found a lost or injured animal, quick action is the key to reuniting the animal with its owner. For more information visit Lost and Injured Animals.

Impounded animals

If your animal is located, or you suspect your animal is impounded at the Ipswich Pound you should visit the Ipswich Pound and Animal Management Centre in person. For more information visit Impounded Animals.

Release fees may apply for impounded livestock. For details view Council’s Fees and Charges Schedule and search ‘impounding’ for current charges.