The red fox was introduced into Australia in 1855 for the solitary purpose of recreational hunting. It decimated native animal species and has been credited with the extinction of at least 10 of them! In the past bounties were introduced to reduce the impact of foxes on the environment and farming. Methods used to control the spread of them have usually been shooting and poison baits.

Out the back of Carrum on the west side of McLeod Road there was a large old gum tree that looked like it had been there forever - it’s quite possible it may even have been standing before white settlement. For a unknown number of years hunters would hang dead foxes from the tree's lower boughs. During the 1950's and early 1960's on any given day at least five or six carcasses could be seen hanging from the tree's branches.

Jim Jones clearly remembers the tree, he was one of the people who used put the foxes there. He said “most weekends two or three of us would go in to the swamp with blood hounds to hunt." He said the hounds had been trained to track foxes and run them down. Jim said on one occasion he, Eric Guy and Bob Sloane were in Carrum swamp with the hounds hunting when the hounds tracked a fox to his den. He said the fox bolted off with all of them in hot pursuit, they chased it right through the swamp to the river. Jim said he thought they had the fox trapped but it jumped in the river and proceeded to swim to the other side.

The hounds quickly followed the it and leapt into the water swimming as fast as they could. Jim said he and the others also entered the water following the hounds. The fox was wily & very cunning and made a lucky escape by swimming the river and disappearing into the thick scrub on the other side. That day the fox was fortunate, it had gained a reprieve from joining all of its friends on Carrum’s fox tree. ^[1]

Fox Tree - Wells Road, Carrum.

Written by:

Carole Ross

Acknowledgements

1. Ross C. Interview Jim Jones. 2010

Photo Courtesy

Chelsea Historical Society

Acknowledge