2020-02-11 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                              11 FEBRUARY 2020


    Implementation of a subsidy scheme that provided for nearby residents to access cleaning
     products and services, car/boat/clothesline covers and air fresheners (endorsed by Council
     at the November 2016 Ordinary Meeting).
    Interpretive signage and education materials around the Wallace Park site.
    Monitoring of flying-fox numbers at Wallace Park.
This work has been quite successful and while there are still flying-foxes at Wallace Park, the
initiatives have gone some way to alleviating the impacts on neighbouring residents.
Responsibility of management of flying-fox roosts lies with the landholder and is directed by State
legislation. Where Flying-fox camps are located in close proximity to housing on Council-managed
land, Council may undertake vegetation works or use deterrents such as sprinkler systems to
‘nudge’ flying-foxes further away from residential boundaries.
This is very much dependent on the site and subject to the State Government’s Code of Practice:
Ecologically sustainable management of flying-fox roosts. In the example of Wallace Park, the use
of sprinklers was outside the Code of Practice and a Flying-fox Roost Management Permit is
required from the State Government, which Council still holds. Any vegetation works need to
consider the impact on other species of removing vegetation.
Recent influx of flying-foxes in Kin Kin
In early December large numbers of flying-foxes descended on the centre of Kin Kin, impacting on
residents. They were initially in the area south of Main Street, between Palmer and Bowman Street,
before expanding into the area north of Main Street, on Council-managed land adjacent to Overton
Way.
Reports of the numbers present were variable and their location and number appeared to change
over time. Council engaged an experienced ecologist to visit the site on 29 January to undertake
a count, and recorded 6100 Grey-headed Flying-foxes and 730 Black Flying-foxes. At this time
they were located north of Main Road, along Overton Way, and around Leggett’s Loop. On a further
inspection on 4 February, no flying-foxes at all were observed in the area.




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