Australian cartoonist Larry Pickering has been placed under protective police surveillance after he posted a picture depicting the Muslim prophet Muhammad on his website.

Detectives from Queensland Police visited the controversial cartoonist at his home on Sunday evening and told him he was being put under high-priority protective surveillance, News Corp Australia reported.

Political cartoonist Larry Pickering. Credit:Dave Hunt

"I guess they must have picked up some intelligence or chatter after I did the cartoon," Pickering told News Corp.

"They gave me their details and special phone numbers and said if I call they will be there in minutes."