Cane toads are being trialled as a deterrent to prevent goannas from raiding loggerhead turtle nests at Wreck Rock beach near Agnes Water.
Turtle Care volunteers Nev and Bev McLachlan, were among the first to discover that goannas avoid cane toads, so they placed them on top of the turtle nests.
University of Queensland researcher David Booth, believes the cane toad deterrent could be the next step toward implementing an active avoidance mechanism, permanently keeping goannas from disturbing up to 400 nests a year.