Flying fox fight goes on

Eurobodalla councillors have vowed to take the flying fox fight to the New South Wales and Australian governments as they search for a solution to the problem plaguing communities up and down the shire.

Council endorsed a proposal by Mayor Lindsay Brown at today’s council meeting that he lead a delegation of mayors from the areas affected by flying foxes to meet with the NSW Minister for the Environment Mark Speakman.

The Mayor will also make contact with Federal member for Hunter Joel Fitzgibbon, who yesterday asked the Australian Senate to initiate an inquiry into the flying fox problems that exist in his electorate around Singleton and Cessnock and other communities throughout the country.

Clr Brown said the Eurobodalla community’s anger and despair is absolutely warranted and all councillors want something done to alleviate the suffering of residents living near the flying fox camps, particularly the colony in the Water Gardens at Batemans Bay.

Council will also host a community meeting to provide information to residents and will invite local State and Federal members of parliament so they can hear first-hand how distressing the situation is for residents.

High numbers of flying-foxes are overcrowding the Water Gardens Reserve at Batemans Bay and causing the animals to extend their roosting areas. Councillors were told that the population at the Water Gardens seems to be the highest ever, probably due to the weather patterns and available food supply, particularly the proliferation of spotted gums and other flowering trees in bloom at the moment. There are also flying fox camps in Narooma and Moruya Heads.

“We know the flying foxes are causing distress and we understand the calls for them to be dispersed,” said Clr Brown.  “However, our research tells us that this approach simply doesn’t work in the majority of cases.

“Dispersal is highly unpredictable. The animals usually relocate in multiple splinter camps close to the existing camp and create similar complaints in new areas.

“Last year when Council developed the plan of management for the Water Gardens flying fox camp, we investigated dispersal options tried around Australia such as smoke, noise, light, fog, helicopters, vegetation and water removal. In all cases the conflict was not resolved.”

Meanwhile, the Mayor says Council continues to liaise with the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage about the community’s concerns and will seek an urgent meeting with them to see how they are progressing with their research to better understand and manage flying foxes.

Councillors acknowledged the work being done by Council staff with residents near the Water Gardens to do what can be done to help them manage.

“Council cleared a vegetation buffer against residents’ back fences in August last year and that has helped keep the flying foxes away from yards and homes,” the Mayor said. “We’ve removed cocos palms, a known food source for the bats, from private properties. We’ve also been able to help almost 40 residents with free car covers, clothesline covers and access to cleaning equipment.

“The complaints we haven’t been able to assist with are the odour and noise.

“The smell is from the male flying foxes marking their territory and is strongest at the Water Gardens camp. The animals are mainly noisy when they leave and return to the camp and wherever they are feeding at night. If there are disturbances near the camp during the day this also causes the flying foxes to be noisy.

“The animals will head north to their camps in Queensland and northern New South Wales once the weather starts to turn cool, and at that time, Council will recommence the work to improve the appearance of the Water Gardens. We don’t want to start that work now because any machinery noise or other disruption we create during the day distresses the roosting flying foxes and causes them to be flighty and noisy, affecting nearby residents.

“We also want to reassure residents that the risks to their physical health from flying foxes are minimal and people can find more information from the Department of Health on Council’s website.”

Grey headed flying foxes are a threatened species under State and Federal legislation and while this region is seeing huge numbers, on a national basis they are on the decline primarily due to clearing and modifying of native vegetation.