 The common starling was introduced to Australia to consume insect pests of farm crops . Early settlers looked forward to their arrival , believing that common starlings were also important for the pollination of flax , a major agricultural product . Nest @-@ boxes for the newly released birds were placed on farms and near crops . The common starling was introduced to Melbourne in 1857 and Sydney two decades later . By the 1880s , established populations were present in the southeast of the country thanks to the work of acclimatisation committees . By the 1920s , common starlings were widespread throughout Victoria , Queensland and New South Wales , but by then they were considered to be pests . Although common starlings were first sighted in Albany , Western Australia in 1917 , they have been largely prevented from spreading to the state . The wide and arid Nullarbor Plain provides a natural barrier and control measures have been adopted that have killed 55 @,@ 000 birds over three decades . The common starling has also colonised Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island . 
 The common starling was introduced to Australia to consume insect pests of farm crops . Early settlers looked forward to their arrival , believing that common starlings <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> also important for the pollination of flax , a major agricultural product . Nest @-@ boxes for the newly released birds <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>were</mark></a> placed on farms and near crops . The common starling was introduced to Melbourne in 1857 and Sydney two decades later . By the 1880s , established populations<a href='been_done' title='3'><mark></mark></a> <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> present in the southeast of the country thanks to the work of acclimatisation committees . By the 1920s , common starlings <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>were</mark></a> widespread throughout Victoria , Queensland and New South Wales , but by then they <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>were</mark></a> considered to be pests . Although common starlings <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>were</mark></a> first sighted in Albany , Western Australia in 1917 , they <a href='been_done' title='8'><mark>have</mark></a> been largely prevented from spreading to the state . The wide and arid Nullarbor Plain <a href='uninflect' title='9'><mark>provides</mark></a> a natural barrier and control measures <a href='been_done' title='10'><mark>have</mark></a> been adopted <a href='null_relcl' title='11'><mark>that</mark></a><a href='been_done' title='12'><mark>have</mark></a> killed 55 @,@ 000 birds over three decades . The common starling <a href='been_done' title='13'><mark>has</mark></a> also colonised Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island . 
Da common starling was introduced to Australia to consume insect pests of farm crops . Early settlers looked forward to their arrival , believing dat common starlings was also important for tdapollination of flax , a major agricultural product . Nest @-@ boxes fa thdaewly released birds was placed on farms and near crops . Thedammon starling was introduced to Melbourne in 1857 and Sydney two decades later . By the 1880s , established populations been was present in the southeast of the country thanx to the wrk of acclimatisation committees . By the 1920s , common starlings was widespread throughout Victoria , Queensland and New South Wales , but by then they was considered to be pests . Although common starlings was first sighted in Albany , Western Australia in 1917 , they done been largely prevented from spreading to the date . The wide and arid Nullarbor Plain provide a natural barrier and control measures done been adopted done killed 55 @,@ 000 birds over three decades . The common starling done also colonised Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island .