Inconclusive sighting

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Hi idlidlidlidl, There would almost certainly be two species of deer right through the Pinnacle NR, Fallow Deer (Dama dama) and Sambar (Cervus unicolor) and they definitely are not 'getting close to our suburbs' because they have already penetrated right through them. But they are rarely detected by typical users. The high rub looks like the work of the kids who built the cubby but the main rub is possibly a deer rub, however deer generally cause deeper damage to the bark of Red Stringybarks, so it is also possible that this is the work of Eastern Grey Kangaroos which sometimes do something similar, only not as deep.
PCS are already doing spotlight counts of deer in urban nature reserves and experimenting in non-urban parks with ground and aerial culling to see whether they can effectively reduce numbers and damage. NSW is experimenting with potentially more effective poisoning methods, which they are refining to minimise risk to non-target species like kangaroos.

DonFletcher,
Thank you for your insight. I too thought the damage might have been by the cubby house users but the construction is from quite some time ago. It was the higher mark that made me think of deer damage as I have seen sambar deer rubbings well over 2 metres high down in the Victorian high country. I have seen EGK's scratching at trees before, so it may well be damage by them. I am please that PCS are aware of and actively monitoring these ferals.
Sounds like I'll need to go out at night more often closer to home to try and see the deer. I have only seen them (fallow deer) down on the Murrumbidgee below Shepherd's lookout.
Again thanks.