Something is digging up your lawn — and the challenge is that different animals require completely different responses. The wrong deterrent does nothing. The right one depends entirely on who the culprit is. Melbourne gardens are visited by a specific cast of digging animals, and the damage pattern tells you which one you are dealing with. This guide covers the most common culprits in Melbourne lawns, how to identify which animal is responsible, and what to do about each. For repairing the resulting damage, see our guide on fixing dead and bare patches in Melbourne lawns.
How to identify the culprit by the damage pattern
African black beetle grubs: irregular bare patches, turf lifts away
This is the most common cause of what looks like animal digging damage in Melbourne lawns. The adult African black beetle lays eggs in lawns in summer, and the larvae feed on grass roots below the surface through late summer and autumn. The result is patches where the turf has died and lifts away from the soil like a loose carpet — because the roots have been eaten. Birds, crows, and foxes will then dig into these soft areas to eat the grubs, making the damage look even worse.
Diagnosis: grab a handful of the affected turf and pull — if it lifts away easily, look for white C-shaped grubs in the soil below. If you find them, you have found the problem. The animals digging are secondary to the actual issue.
Foxes: distinctive conical holes, often with soil thrown aside
Foxes dig in Melbourne lawns for two reasons — grubs (if lawn grubs are present) and cached food. Fox digging is typically more aggressive and deeper than bird pecking, and foxes often leave a distinctive scent. They are persistent and territorial, returning to the same garden over days or weeks.
Dogs: the most variable and often the most obvious
Dogs dig for entertainment, for cool soil in summer, to find scents, or out of anxiety. The location is often consistent (same spot against the fence, same area under a tree). Dog digging damage is typically the easiest to identify because the owner usually witnesses it.
Bandicoots: small, cone-shaped holes, overnight
Bandicoots are native marsupials found in Melbourne's outer suburbs, particularly in areas near bushland, reserves, and parks. They dig small, characteristic conical holes in lawns at night while foraging for insects and grubs. The holes are much smaller and more precise than fox digging. Bandicoots are protected native wildlife in Victoria — you cannot harm or trap them. The solution is deterrence or fencing.
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How to stop each animal from digging
For lawn grubs: treat the grubs directly
If lawn grubs are the underlying cause, treat them with a registered insecticide designed for beetle larvae. Products containing imidacloprid or chlorpyrifos are commonly used. Apply when soil is moist and water in after application. Once the grub population is reduced, birds and foxes will no longer find the lawn worth digging.
For foxes: scent deterrents and removing the attraction
Commercial fox deterrent products (predator urine scents) have some effect. Removing the grub population removes the primary food attraction. Motion-activated sprinklers can disrupt nocturnal fox visits. Persistent foxes sometimes require a combination of approaches.
For dogs: physical barriers and behavioral management
The most reliable solution for a dog digging problem is a physical barrier — a fence section, rocks, or chicken wire laid flat over the problem area and pegged down. Providing a dog with a designated digging area (a sandbox or specific bed where digging is acceptable) gives the behaviour somewhere constructive to go. Anti-digging sprays have mixed results.
For bandicoots: deterrence and plant-based barriers
Bandicoots cannot legally be harmed or trapped in Victoria. Motion-activated sprinklers are one of the more reliable deterrents. Blood-and-bone based fertilisers applied to the lawn surface can deter bandicoots (they tend to avoid areas with strong mammalian scent markers). Chicken wire laid flat over affected areas and pegged down makes the area inaccessible. If bandicoots are causing significant damage, contact the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) for advice.
Repairing the damage
Once the animal issue is resolved, the repair process is the same as any bare patch repair. Loosen the soil, add lawn repair mix, re-seed or lay turf pieces, and water consistently until established. See our full guide on fixing dead and bare patches in Melbourne lawns for the step-by-step process.
FAQ: Animals digging up Melbourne lawns
Are bandicoots protected in Melbourne?
Yes. Southern brown bandicoots are listed as endangered under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act in Victoria. They cannot be harmed or trapped without a permit. Deterrence methods (motion sprinklers, physical barriers) are the legal approach.
What is eating the roots of my lawn in Melbourne?
Almost certainly African black beetle larvae (lawn grubs). They are the most common cause of turf that lifts away from the soil surface. Check by pulling up a section of affected turf and looking for white grubs in the soil below. Treatment is a registered lawn grub insecticide.
Do fox deterrents work in Melbourne gardens?
With mixed results. The most effective deterrent is removing what draws the fox in the first place — usually lawn grubs. Commercial scent deterrents work temporarily but foxes adapt. Motion sprinklers are more consistently effective as a deterrent for nocturnal visits.
Why does my dog keep digging in the same spot?
Usually one of three reasons: cool soil below the surface (dogs dig for temperature regulation on hot days), an interesting scent (another animal has been there), or habit/boredom. Investigating which is driving the behaviour guides the solution — shade for temperature, treating the scent source, or providing enrichment for boredom.
