However, further hunts will be required to assess the merits of the method, the Otago Regional Council says.
National programmes project delivery specialist Gavin Udy said helicopter-based hunters last week followed nine of 10 wallabies that were GPS collared and released in the Waitaki and Mackenzie districts last year.
Those animals led the hunters to other wallabies, which were then destroyed.
The 10th spy wallaby was not pursued as it was deemed to be too close to residential properties to safely hunt.
That animal had covered 42km and was now in Otago, Mr Udy said.
The spy wallabies would continue to be monitored by a hunting team over the next 11 months to see if they would lead the hunters to other wallabies.
"This first run is about getting out there and locating and eliminating any other wallabies around the spy wallaby and testing our methodology, and then integrating any improvements identified into future hunts," Mr Udy said.
The ORC was investing $110,000 over two years in the field work component of this research.
In a statement yesterday, it said the potential benefits of the programme would far outweigh the investment "in terms of protecting Otago from wallaby spread" and the damage the invasive pests did to native bush, farms, commercial forestry and biodiversity.
The Tipu Mātoro National Wallaby Eradication Programme was contributing another $100,000 to the research, while Environment Canterbury was supporting the project through landowner consultation, DNA sampling and supplementary control work.
The project was being done with permits from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and the Animal Ethics Committee at Lincoln University.
Permission had been granted by landowners to release the wallabies on their property.
"It is hoped the two-year research programme testing the usefulness of spy wallaby will provide a new tool in the battle against this fast-breeding pest," the council said.
— Staff reporter
