Fed-up council bypasses state, hires own contractor Bat removal fast-tracked

A little red flying fox at the bat roost in Lissner Park, Charters Towers. Picture: TRUDY BROWN

CHARTERS Towers Regional Council will spend $205,000 to move the flying foxes from Lissner Park after the state government failed to do so this year.

Council held a special meeting yesterday during which it was resolved to engage Biodiversity Australia to begin relocation efforts this month.

The state government announced dispersal plans for April, but delays in the completion of the Young’s Block bat habitat on the outskirts of town pushed that date back.

In July, the Department of Environment and Science (DES) released a statement saying Ecosure had been contracted to begin work to relocate the bats when the little red flying fox young were mature enough in August.

In September, a DES spokesman said they were inspecting the colony later in the month to determine if dispersal could proceed. But before that could happen the state government moved into caretaker mode on October 5 due to the upcoming election.

Acting Mayor Sonia Bennetto said the 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 co-operatively with the Queensland government ... to try and get this issue resolved.

“DES and their preferred supplier were noncommittal on a time frame and it’s left us with no other option but to seek our own supplier.”

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

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

Councillor Bennetto said the site was constructed by DES with council help.

“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.

“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 usable 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.”

The relocation program is expected to start this month and take up to three weeks.

Council CEO Aaron Johansson said he had approached DES about reimbursement for the costs of engaging Biodiversity Australia but had secured no commitment because of caretaker mode. He said the council would seek reimbursement afterwards.