No plan for road roo fence trial

CALLS to install invisible fencing on a popular Surf Coast road after a surge in wildlife deaths have been ignored by authorities.

Animal Justice Party MP Andy Meddick has lobbied for the virtual fencing — a new technology aimed at deterring wildlife from roadsides — to be installed at Forrest Road, Anglesea.

In parliament this year, Mr Meddick asked Road Safety Minister Ben Carroll to approve a trial of the fencing along the road, a notorious spot for kangaroo collisions.

Mr Carroll said he had since been advised by the Department of Transport that there was currently a lack of “empirical data” to support its viability as a legitimate road safety treatment.

“Various studies have shown the efficacy of the technology to be inconclusive or demonstrated it to be ineffective,” he said.

Surf Coast Shire council environment and development general manager Ransce Salan said the council was not proposing to install virtual fencing on Forest Road “or any other roads in the shire”.

“We are, however, continuing to follow the progress of virtual fencing trials by other councils and are monitoring the results and costs involved,” he said.

“Virtual fencing is triggered by headlights, therefore the high risk times of dusk and dawn for kangaroos may not be fully covered.”

Virtual fencing features a device attached to a pole on the side of the road that, when activated by vehicle lights, sets off a sonic alarm to ward off kangaroos.

Mr Meddick has spent years alongside Surf Coast Wildlife Rescue’s Jason Cichocki campaigning for the government to implement the “vital project” to protect wildlife.

Despite successfully securing a speed reduction on the road, Mr Meddick said there was still a strong need for the fencing trial.

The speed limit on Forest Road was recently reduced from 100km/h to 80km/h between the Great Ocean Road and the gravel quarry entrance.