As few as 200 native bilbies remain in the wild in Astrebla Downs National Park, after a recent plague of feral cats devastated Queensland's former stronghold for the endangered marsupial.

The dwindling numbers have been confirmed by Queensland Environment and Heritage Minister Andrew Powell in an interview with Radio National's Background Briefing.

Astrebla Downs previously was home to an estimated 700 bilbies.

More than 3,000 feral cats have been shot by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service within the park over the last two years, costing the department $350,000.

But regardless, the wild bilby population has plummeted, falling victim to feral cat attacks.

Minister Powell stressed that feral cat control was a priority for his department.

"As a state we will do what we can and we'll continue to put funds towards their management and obviously any additional funds that come from the Federal Government would be welcome," he said

"We have seen feral cats occurring in plague proportions over the last few years, particularly in key areas such as the habitat of the greater bilby which has had dire consequences.

"So we as a government have declared war on feral cats."

Dissected feral cats reveal bilby prey

The 176,000 hectares of Astrebla Downs National Park, in Queensland's Channel Country, are home to the state's sole remaining wild greater bilby population.

A plague of longhaired rats in recent years provided a food source and allowed feral cat numbers to skyrocket.

But when the rat population crashed in early 2013, the feral cats began to prey on bilbies.

More than 120 bilbies were reportedly pulled out of dissected feral cats' stomachs between 2012 and 2014.

Conservationists call for national summit

Save the Bilby Fund co-founder, Frank Manthey, described the loss of so many wild bilbies as "heartbreaking".

"Most of the bilbies in those feral cats' stomachs were inexperienced juveniles so that makes it even worse. That's the breeding population getting knocked off," Mr Manthey said.

He said the Federal Government needed to show more leadership on this issue.

"We need a National Feral Animal Summit chaired by someone independent to the government," he said.

"Unless we get people from the State Government, local government representation, grazers, farmers, indigenous people, and conservation groups into a room to look at how we are going to deal with this problem and how we are going to fund it, we are going to continue to play the blame game."

Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt told Radio National's Background Briefing program he heard Mr Manthey's call for a national threatened species and feral animals summit, and that he would host the summit before the middle of next year.

Mr Hunt wants the states, territories, and all the stakeholders to sign on to a 10-year national plan to eradicate feral cats.

To hear more about how feral cats are threatening Australia's native species listen to Radio National’s Background Briefing program at 8:00am on Sunday