Tourists love to watch cane toads racing, and almost every local has a story about finding one in the garden. 

But throughout the next week, Far North Queenslanders will have the chance to take practical measures to help control the toxic pests.

The annual Great Cane Toad Bust starts tomorrow (Saturday, January 18) and runs until Australia Day (Sunday, January 26).

The event, organised by Queensland not-for-profit organisation Watergum, gives the chance for everyone who wants to become involved to get together and collect the toxic tadpoles during the day and the adult toads at night to “humanely euthanise”.

Watergum invasive species project officer Nikki Tomsett said the Toad Bust was about challenging people to take action to help improve our environment.

“Cane toads are a toxic, invasive pest that have unfortunately become a common site around much of Australia,” Ms Tomsett said.

“Cane toads are catastrophic for our environment, endangering native wildlife and poisoning our pets.”

They also impact local agriculture because they eat beneficial insects such as dung beetles and bees, which has a ripple effect on other plants.

If enough people take part in events like this, local toad numbers can be controlled by close to 50 per cent, she said.

For more details, go to watergum.org/greatcanetoadbust

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