If you hear scratching, thumping or movement coming from your roof at night, a possum may have decided that your home makes an excellent place to sleep.
For Melbourne homeowners, the natural reaction is often: Can I just catch it and take it somewhere else?
The answer is more complicated than many people realise.
Possums are native Australian wildlife and are protected in Victoria under the Wildlife Act 1975. There are limited circumstances in which a Common Brushtail Possum living inside a building can be trapped, but strict rules apply to how the animal is captured, handled and released.
Most importantly, catching a possum and driving it to a park, bushland or another suburb is not a legal solution.
If you’re considering DIY possum removal in Melbourne, understanding these rules before doing anything is essential for both the animal’s welfare and your legal responsibilities.
Are Possums Protected in Victoria?
Yes.
Possums are protected wildlife under Victoria’s Wildlife Act 1975. This means you cannot simply harm, harass, capture or interfere with a possum because it has entered your property.
However, there is an important exception concerning Common Brushtail Possums living within buildings.
Victorian rules allow Common Brushtail Possums living inside buildings to be controlled under specific conditions. This exception exists because brushtails commonly make dens in roof spaces and other structures.
That does not mean every possum can be trapped.
The species matters.
Common Brushtail Possums
Common Brushtail Possums are relatively large possums, roughly the size of a cat. They have pointed ears and a distinctive bushy tail.
They are the species most commonly associated with roof spaces.
Under Victorian rules, Common Brushtail Possums living within buildings can be trapped under specific conditions.
Common Ringtail Possums
Common Ringtail Possums are smaller and have a distinctive curled tail with a white tip. They generally build nests known as dreys in trees and shrubs.
Unlike the limited exemption applying to brushtails in buildings, it is illegal to trap a Common Ringtail Possum without a permit.
This is one reason correct species identification is so important before attempting any form of possum control.
Can You Remove a Possum Yourself in Victoria?
In certain circumstances, a homeowner or occupier can legally trap a Common Brushtail Possum living within a building.
But this is not a general right to catch possums.
Victorian rules specify who can undertake this trapping and how it must be done. Homeowners or occupiers and members of their families, building managers or their staff, and appropriately licensed wildlife controllers can trap Common Brushtail Possums living in buildings.
The animal must also be captured using an appropriate cage or confinement trap designed not to cause injury.
A trap must not grip the possum’s body or contain hooks, sharp projections or other features capable of causing injury. It also needs to be positioned so the trapped possum is protected from dogs, cats, rain, wind and direct sunlight.
Once an animal has been captured, strict requirements govern what happens next.
This is where DIY possum removal can become particularly difficult.
Can You Catch a Possum and Release It Somewhere Else?
No.
One of the biggest misconceptions about possum removal in Melbourne is that taking the possum to a nearby park or bush reserve is the humane thing to do.
Under Victorian rules, relocation of trapped Common Brushtail Possums is prohibited.
A trapped brushtail must be released on the same property where it was captured, no more than 50 metres from the capture site, and the release must occur after sunset on the day of capture.
You therefore cannot legally:
- drive the possum several kilometres away;
- release it in a national park;
- take it to nearby bushland;
- move it to another suburb;
- release it on somebody else’s property; or
- simply find what appears to be a suitable habitat elsewhere.
The fact that a location appears safer or more natural does not make relocation lawful.
Why Is Relocating Possums Illegal?
The restriction is not arbitrary. Relocation can have severe consequences for the animal.
Possums are territorial animals that know their local environment. Their survival depends partly on knowing where to find food, shelter and secure den sites while avoiding predators and other hazards.
Dropping a possum into unfamiliar bushland can place it in another possum’s territory while removing all of those familiar resources.
Victorian Government guidance cites Melbourne research into relocated Common Brushtail Possums that found extremely poor outcomes after release. Relocated animals faced predation, stress, vehicle strikes and other dangers.
The research also found that relocated possums spent considerably more time at or near ground level than resident possums, making them particularly vulnerable.
So while taking a possum to “some nice bushland” might sound humane, the reality can be very different.
Legal possum control focuses on removing the animal from the building without removing it from its established territory.
What Happens After a Possum Is Trapped?
If a Common Brushtail Possum is legally trapped in a building, the normal requirement is to release it:
on the same property, within 50 metres of where it was captured, after sunset on the same day.
The timing matters.
Possums are nocturnal. Releasing one during daylight can expose an already stressed animal to additional risks, including predators and attacks from other animals.
While it is trapped, the possum must also be protected from adverse weather, direct sunlight and domestic animals.
If release on the property in accordance with the requirements is not reasonably possible, Victorian Government guidance provides for the possum to be humanely destroyed by a registered veterinary practitioner, at the trapper’s expense, within 24 hours.
That is very different from a homeowner deciding to kill the animal themselves.
Why Removing the Possum Is Only Half the Job
Catching the possum does not necessarily solve a possum problem.
If the entry point remains open, the same possum may simply return to the roof. Alternatively, another possum could discover the vacant den and move in.
Effective possum removal in Melbourne therefore needs to address the building as well as the animal.
A proper approach generally involves identifying how the possum is entering the roof, establishing whether the animal has dependent young, removing or excluding the possum appropriately and then securing potential entry points.
Roof access can occur through surprisingly small or concealed openings, including gaps around roof tiles, eaves, fascia boards and other parts of the structure.
Simply putting a trap in the roof without understanding why the possum is there can turn a wildlife problem into a recurring one.
What About a Mother Possum With a Baby?
Extra care is required whenever dependent young may be present.
Common Brushtail Possums can carry young in their pouch and later transport older young on their back. A female using a roof as a den may therefore have a dependent joey with her or nearby.
Removing or excluding the mother without identifying a dependent young possum can create a serious animal-welfare problem.
This is another reason experience matters. Before sealing an entry point, you need confidence that no possum or dependent young remains trapped inside the building.
A sealed roof containing a trapped animal is not a successful possum removal.
Can You Seal the Hole While the Possum Is Outside?
Exclusion can be an important part of long-term possum management, but timing is critical.
Sealing a roof opening without knowing whether every animal has left can trap a possum or joey inside.
An animal desperately attempting to escape can cause additional damage, while a trapped animal may eventually die inside the roof or wall cavity.
Professional possum management therefore looks beyond simply finding a visible hole. The objective is to understand how the animal is using the building and prevent access without trapping wildlife inside.
Providing an alternative den site, such as an appropriate possum box, may also help in some situations.
Why Professional Possum Removal Can Be the Safer Option
Victorian law does allow certain people to trap Common Brushtail Possums living within buildings, so it would be misleading to say that every DIY removal is automatically illegal.
The difficulty is complying with all the requirements while also solving the underlying problem.
A homeowner needs to consider:
- whether the animal really is a Common Brushtail Possum;
- whether dependent young are present;
- whether trapping is legally permitted in the circumstances;
- whether the trap meets animal-welfare requirements;
- how frequently the trap needs to be checked;
- how the possum will be protected while confined;
- where and when it can legally be released;
- how it entered the building; and
- how the entry points can be secured without trapping wildlife inside.
Getting one of those steps wrong can cause unnecessary suffering or create legal problems.
Using an experienced Melbourne possum removal professional can take much of that uncertainty out of the process.
What Should You Do If You Hear a Possum in Your Roof?
Don’t panic, and don’t immediately seal every opening you can find.
First, try to establish what animal is actually inside the roof. Rats, mice, birds and other animals can produce noises that homeowners mistake for possums.
If a possum is involved, avoid poisoning, injuring or attempting to transport it to another location.
For a Common Brushtail Possum living inside a building, the goal should be lawful, humane removal combined with effective exclusion.
That means getting the possum out safely and then dealing with the reason it was able to enter in the first place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is possum removal legal in Melbourne?
Yes, but only under specific circumstances and subject to Victorian wildlife laws. Common Brushtail Possums living within buildings can be controlled under prescribed conditions. Other protected possums, including Common Ringtail Possums, cannot simply be trapped without the required authorisation.
Can I trap a possum in my roof myself?
A homeowner or occupier can trap a Common Brushtail Possum living within a building provided the applicable legal and animal-welfare requirements are followed. Only an appropriate cage trap designed not to injure the animal should be used.
How far can I relocate a possum in Victoria?
You cannot relocate a trapped Common Brushtail Possum to another area. It must be released on the same property, within a maximum of 50 metres from the capture location, after sunset on the day of capture.
Can I release a possum in a park?
No. Taking a possum from your property and releasing it in a park, reserve or bushland is not an acceptable legal alternative to releasing it according to Victoria’s requirements.
Can I trap a ringtail possum?
Not without the appropriate permit or authority. Common Ringtail Possums remain protected, and Victorian Government guidance states that trapping a ringtail without a permit is illegal.
What is the best long-term solution for a possum in the roof?
The aim should be humane removal or exclusion followed by securing the building’s entry points. Simply removing an animal without addressing roof access may allow the same possum — or another one — to move back in.
Need Possum Removal in Melbourne?
Possums are an important part of Victoria’s native wildlife, but that doesn’t mean you have to share your ceiling with one.
The key is resolving the problem legally, humanely and effectively.
If you’ve heard scratching or movement in your roof and suspect a possum has moved in, Paul the Possum Catcher can help assess the situation and provide professional possum removal in Melbourne while taking Victorian wildlife requirements into account.
Professional assistance can also help identify entry points and reduce the likelihood of another possum making your roof its home.Contact Paul the Possum Catcher for professional possum removal in Melbourne and advice on keeping possums out of your roof.