Council votes to move on flying-foxes

Charters Towers Regional Council has taken flying-fox relocation efforts into its own hands.

Councillors voted this morning to engage contractors Biodiversity Australia to help move on the flying-foxes from Lissner Park.

Acting Mayor Sonia Bennetto said Council was left with no choice but to act.

“The Charters Towers community has been dealing with an intolerable flying-fox problem since circa 2001,” she said.

“In recent years Council engaged in a collaborative approach to the issue, working cooperatively with the Queensland Government and the Department of Environment and Science (DES) every step of the way to try and get this issue resolved.

“A dispersal was planned by DES for April 2020 but there were delays and as we know it didn’t occur. DES then rescheduled it to July 2020 but again, they did not see through the dispersal. We’ve been asking ‘When is it going to happen?’ but DES and their preferred supplier were non-committal on a time frame and it’s left us with no other option but to seek our own supplier,” Councillor Bennetto said.

Biodiversity Australia will develop a flying-fox relocation strategy, implement a roost relocation program and provide roost relocation maintenance at Lissner Park for up to eight weeks.

The goal will be to direct the flying-fox towards the alternative roost site developed at Young’s Block earlier this year.

Councillor Bennetto said the site was constructed by DES with Council assistance.

“Council resolved to support the project in November last year and to date no efforts have been made by the Department to actually relocate the flying-foxes,” she said.

“We keep being told it’s not the right time of year or the flying-foxes can’t be moved because they’re carrying pups.

“Council is sick of this issue being tied up in red tape and bureaucracy and we resolved to take action and try to make Lissner Park useable again for locals and visitors, and liveable for residents in the area.

“We will now work closely with Biodiversity Australia to move on the flying foxes in a very humane and efficient way,” Councillor Bennetto said.

At last count there were approximately 35,000 – 40,000 flying-foxes roosting at Lissner Park, though it swells to the hundreds of thousands in the peak season (Summer).

The relocation project is expected to start later this month. Council will provide further information as it is available.

CJM